Giant-Slayer: New World (Volume 2)
by NeoNazo356
Summary: During the course of Beacon's first term, Team RWBY recruited a fifth, conquered homework, fought monsters, and even survived their final exams. With the second term upon them, follow the team of five as RWBBY grapples with new classes, new teachers, and new adventures as our young heroes gird themselves for the much-anticipated Vytal Festival Tournament! Cover by Kegi Springfield.
1. First Day: Plasmology

**Hello, readers, and welcome to Volume 2 of ****Giant-Slayer****, titled ****Giant-Slayer: New World****.**

**Reception for the prequel came a bit mixed, given stories with OCs in them have bad reputations because of all the shitty stories with **_**re-skin **_**OCs, but I hope to see lots of old and new faces in the Review board, as well as any thoughts or comments you might have.**

**So, in memory of the late and great Monyreak "Monty" Oum, let's keep this party train rolling!**

_***NEW WORLD***_

_***TWEEEEEEEET!***_

"Uwaaaugh!" Weiss yelped as she fell out of her bed. _'Why does this seem so familiar?' _she thought to herself as her cheek rested on the floorboards.

"Good morning, Team RWBBY!" Ruby cheered rousingly while Jack removed the four earplugs he'd used to drown out the shrill whistle.

"I'll assume there's an extra B in there for _me_," Jack hummed as he stretched his arms above his head.

"C'mon, girls! Up and at-em, up and at-em!" Ruby cheered.

"Ugh. That's right. We've got _school _again," Weiss said groggily as she began running a brush through her hair. "Oh no! We have _school _again!"

"Don't you worry about a _thing_, Weiss! I got us all up with plenty of time to _spare_!" Ruby said happily, swinging an arm across her chest enthusiastically.

"That way there's no repeat of _last _time!" Yang whooped. "All that running so early in the morning was a real _downer_, you know?" she then slumped like a deflated balloon.

"Don't skip Leg Day," Blake said plainly, the smallest of smiles tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Right, right," Weiss sighed, the humming of Ruby's Scroll as it vibrated atop her desk flitting across the room.

"Hey Ruby, your _boooyfriend's _texting you~?" Yang cooed as the adorable red-head read her message.

"N-Not right now!" Ruby squawked. "Our homeroom teacher just texted me, saying he wants to talk with all the Team leaders before class starts."

"Well? What are you waiting for? Get _going_!" Weiss yelped. "If you're going to be the face of our team, then you need to make a good first-impression. _Especially _with our teachers."

"Alright! I'm _going _already!" Ruby whined as she hopped toward the door, clumsily lacing her shoes together with each hop before doing so to her own satisfaction, and disappearing through the doorway in a plume of rose petals.

"Well… it's nice to see she wants to be _prompt _about this," Weiss admitted as rose petals drifted into the room.

"If those petals had any _permanence _to them, she could make a killing selling scented candles or something," Blake hummed as she swept said petals into the corner.

"Yeah, but I doubt Ruby has the attention span for an eight-to-four job like that," Jack shrugged. "No offense."

"None taken," Yang replied. "My baby sis _can _be a bit _flaky _at times."

"Let's hope that flakiness doesn't bleed into her _relationship_," Blake hummed, secretly pleased at the cross-species pairing growing to full bloom before her.

"Eh, I'm sure they'll be fine," Yang shrugged. "What I'm _more _concerned with is what kind of _teachers _we'll have this term. No offense, but the last batch of classes were a little…"

"Dry?" Jack groused.

"I was going to say _boring_, but "dry" works too," the blond said with a shrug.

"Hey, our teachers last-term worked _very _hard for us, so show them a little more respect!" Weiss chided.

"The more things change, the more they stay the same," Blake hummed, Jack nodding off to the side in agreement.

_***NEW WORLD***_

To their credit, both RWBBY and JNPR arrived at class with plenty of time to spare, a stark contrast from the first term where they almost missed the opening bell by the skin of their teeth. The room was much the same as any of the other lecture halls in Beacon, with the exception of there being two blackboards on rolling stands flanking the teacher's desk at the front of the room.

"Hey Ren, is it just me, or-"

"It's just you," Ren hummed as he read, even as Nora pointed conspiratorially toward the two rolling blackboards at the front of the room; one of which Nora swore she saw moving.

" . . . Hey."

"Yeah?"

"You ever wonder why we're here?" Jack asked.

"It's one of life's great mysteries, isn't it? Why _are _we here? I mean, are we the product of… some cosmic coincidence or, is there really a God… watching everything? You know, with a plan for us and stuff. I don't know, but it keeps me up at night," Blake responded.

" . . . "

" . . . "

"_What_?" Jack asked after a few moments. "I meant why are we _here_, in this empty classroom?"

Said classroom wasn't necessarily _empty_, but it only had the four Freshman teams occupying it, and no teacher in sight.

"Oh, uh… yeah."

"What was all that stuff about _God_?"

"Uh… hm? Nothing."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Seriously though, why _are _we here?" Jack reiterated. "As far as I can tell, we've been waiting for half an hour, and our teacher hasn't shown up yet."

"Yeah, and what about Ruby?" Yang asked. "She left ahead of us because she had a meeting with our teacher, but she isn't anywhere to be found?"

"Come to think of it, _Jaune _is absent too," Pyrrha stated as she looked around.

"You think the two of them are up to something… _naaaughty~_?" Nora asked with a waggling eyebrow.

"That sounds like the subject of some really creepy fanart," Jack deadpanned. "Also, Ruby has Arthur, there's no way she'd settle for someone like _Jaune _of all people. Plus, Jaune isn't _nearly _charismatic-enough to seduce her. Or _any _woman for that matter, really."

"What _is _your beef with Jaune, anyway?" Blake asked.

"I'm pretty sure I already have it figured out," Ren hummed.

"Well, don't leave us in _suspense _already," Nora egged on. "What kinda juicy _dirt _do ya got on him?"

" . . . " Jack and Ren shared a look before turning to Nora and saying, simultaneously- "Bro code."

"Gah! What a _cop_-out!" Nora huffed at being denied.

"It _is _in the Guyble after all. Don't air another guy's dirty laundry as long as you can still blackmail him relentlessly with it," Jack shrugged.

" . . . Okay maybe not _that _much of a cop-out, but _still_!" Nora amended.

"You know… This has been bugging me for a while but…" Jack said as he looked around. "Hey, Cardin!"

"Yeah?" the red-head asked.

"How'd that meeting with our homeroom teacher go?"

"_What _meeting?" Cardin asked with a confused look.

"What do you _mean_, 'What meeting?' The team-leaders' meeting Ruby and Jaune got called in for this morning," Jack returned.

"Really?" Cardin asked, opening his Scroll and looking through his inbox. "Nope. Nothing like that on _here_," the teen shrugged.

"Well _that's _weird. It seems like the only ones who actually _did _get called in to that meeting were Ruby and Jaune," Yang hummed idly as she spotted both Cardin and Dominic in the room alongside them.

" . . . You think Ruby and Jaune got _punked _or something?" Nora asked.

"Even if they did, that still doesn't explain why our own _teacher_ is a half-hour late," Weiss huffed at the indignity of it. Punctuality was a major strong-point for her, so for a member of the _faculty _to keep her waiting was just a mite infuriating.

"Hey guys… Do you hear something?" Blake questioned, her ears twitching under her bow.

"No. Do _you_?" Yang asked.

"Hold on… I think I hear it too," Pyrrha stated, her eyes turning to the door. "It sounds like…"

"Squeaky _wheels_?" Jack summarized as he stretched out his senses. _'This response…' _Or rather, the lack _thereof _of a response… _'Are they using Soul Protect to hide their power level?' _Jack mused as the source of the squeaky wheels drew ever closer, the tension thickening as the sound soon became perceptible to _all _the Freshman teams. For some reason, it also had an ominous _chittery _feeling, like something out of a horror movie as the lead-in to something quite terrifying.

Then…

Finally…

_***Clack***_

_***CRASH***_

"Uhhh… _What_?" Nora and a few others gawped as a tall man in a patchwork lab coat with messy silver-gray hair landed back-first in the classroom, still seated atop an office chair even as he was sprawled out on the floor.

"Damn. It's still out of adjustment," the spectacled man grunted as he dusted himself off.

"Um… Am I _seeing _things, or does that guy have a massive _bolt _going through his head?" Yang asked as the guy threw a leg over his seat, straddling it in reverse.

"I think it might be like one of those gag arrows. You know, the ones that make it look like someone has an _arrow _through their head," Pyrrha hummed.

"No… No, that's _definitely _a bolt going through his head," Ren said with a small shudder as the man manually turned it with his hand, a spine-tingling _ratchetting _sound echoing through the quiet air.

"Hmmm… Maybe about _there_?" he hummed after a few turns. "Okay!" he shouted as he rose from his seat. "Let me try that again."

And like that, the man proceeded to amble right out of the room, squeaky office chair in hand.

"Um… Shouldn't someone try and stop him?" Pyrrha wondered.

"I'm actually kinda curious to see where this _goes_," Nora hummed thoughtfully.

"In a weird way, so am I," Blake added.

Moments later, the same chittering noise echoed into the classroom from the hallway, the tension slowly rising until, like before, the back of the man's wheels hit a ledge on the floor and he was sent sprawling out onto the floor. _Again_.

'_Nutty professor.' _–was everyone's simultaneous thought at the sight that greeted them.

"So, did you need something?" the man asked from his place on the floor as he finally acknowledged his students' presence.

"What kind of question is _that _to ask?" Blake wondered.

"Quite! You're our homeroom teacher, yet you're a half-hour late!" Weiss spoke up.

"Um, you're our homeroom teacher, Dr. Stein, right?" Pyrrha asked.

"That's right."

"Can you tell us why you're so late?" Blake questioned.

"Oh. That," the man shrugged dismissively. "See, I'd just acquired some new research materials, and I wanted to make sure I had everything I needed," he said drawing a small rollable tool kit from his coat pocket.

"Okay…" Weiss hummed. "So then… what was this meeting you called Ruby and Jaune out for?"

"Oh, I decided to recruit them for some… _experiments_," the man said with an ominous glint on his spectacles.

"Um… _What_?" Yang said as the edges of her eyes bled to red.

"You'll see," the man said frankly as he got up from the ground, dusted himself off, and took a seat behind the desk at the front-and-center of the room, main blackboard at his back while he was flanked by the other two rolling blackboards on either side. "Now then, students, homeroom this term will be Plasmology, the esoteric and _mechanical _study of the soul and how it works. Or rather… _Your _souls."

"What do you mean by that?" Pyrrha asked.

"Aura, a Huntsman's greatest tool, is derived from one's own soul, something conventionally _metaphysical _in nature, yet at the same time, wholly tangible for each and every one of you," Dr. Stein answered. "Up until this point, it's probable that your previous teachings about Aura and its inner workings were extremely _limited. _In the same way that a fool who _knows _a tree will bear fruit doesn't know _why _it bears fruit or even _how_, while you've been taught that Aura can be used as a shield or a power-booster, you may not've been told _why _that is necessarily so, or how it can be used for anything else. Over the course of the next couple of months, I intend to _correct _that ignorance."

"Um, professor, before we go any further-"

"_Doctor_," Dr. Stein quipped familiarly.

"Right, um, _doctor_…" Pyrrha hummed realizing it was another one of "those guys". "I was wondering if you could tell us just _where _our team leaders are."

"Yeah, we're running two short over here," Yang huffed.

"I'm pretty sure I already answered that question, but I guess I'll just have to spell it out for you," the man said ominously as he rose from his chair, his spectacles glinting. "I hold no personal grudge against the two of them. In fact, my motives are quite simple," the man said as he began scrawling something onto the main blackboard in large letters. "What they'll be helping us conduct is simply a bit of observational research. Nothing more, nothing less," he said as he stepped away from the center of the board, revealing what had been written as he clapped the chalk dust from his hands.

**PLASMOLOGICAL VIVISECTION**

"Hey Ren, what's that big word mean?" Nora asked.

"Which one? The first word, or the second word?"

" . . . Yes."

"The first word means the study of the Soul. As for the second word… It means live _dissection_," Ren answered, narrowing his eyes ever-so-slightly.

"So… _what_? We're cutting open _frogs _or something?" Nora asked with a tap to her chin.

"Really _spiritual _frogs?" Nora asked quizzically, imagining a wizened old toad floating while doing yoga.

"Something like that," Dr. Stein answered, drawing an arm across his body before slamming the bottom of his palm against the blackboard behind him, the two _rolling _blackboards at his side shuddering before they flipped completely over, revealing-

"Ruby!"

"Jaune!" Yang and Pyrrha cried respectively as, on the backsides of the blackboards, were revealed to be both Ruby and Jaune strapped to them with large shackles, their uniforms replaced with white surgical scrubs that left them completely exposed beyond their preserved modesty, medical tape stretched across their mouths stopping them from crying out.

"Hey, what the hell's going on here!?" Cardin demanded.

"Like I said, observational research," Dr. Stein hummed as he went to each board, pressing a button on the side causing the stands to transform outward, the boards lowering to the ground and becoming parallel to the floor as the two team leaders were now laid out across what were aesthetically large medical slabs. "On Table A, we have Ruby Rose, a prodigy in her own combat school who was invited to attend Beacon two years early after catching the headmaster's eye," he said gesturing to Ruby who even now, struggled against her bonds. "And on Table B, we have Jaune Arc, her effectual polar opposite," he gestured to Jaune, his eyes wide with fear. "While similarly made team leader, his displayed combat ability is largely _nonexistent_. In addition to that, he completely lacked an activated Aura before even _attending _Beacon, so his initial survival during the semester's screening process was left _purely _to chance. If even one factor had played out differently, he most-_assuredly_ would've died, and Team Juniper's leader would've been someone else. Most-likely someone infinitely more-qualified," he went on to say, Pyrrha shifting nervously in her seat while the Freshman around her scratched their heads in confusion. "So…" Dr. Stein said drawing the red-head's attention back to him. "For what reason did Ozpin have to raise our secondary specimen to the level of our primary one?" he asked as he adjusted his glasses. "Let's find out," he said rolling out his tool kit across his desk from which he drew both a black permanent marker, and a large surgical scalpel that glinted in the light, the prior of which he used to draw an **H**-shape across Ruby's stomach.

_***SLAM***_ "What the hell do you think you're doing to my baby sister!" Yang demanded red-eyed as she rose from her seat.

"As I repeated once before, _observational research_," Dr. Stein answered plainly as he moved over to Jaune and did much the same. "Ms. Xiao Long, your lack of pattern recognition will obviously hurt you down the road, so maybe you should practice _listening _instead of running your mouth."

"Why I outta-" the blond growled before Jack and Blake threw an arm out before her.

"Just what do you intend to _do _to them?" Blake asked, not wanting her partner to attack a teacher on the first day until they got _all _their facts straight.

"My driving force is quite simple. Everything in this world is my research material," Dr. Stein answered as he looked up at her, the grin on his face tugging at the stitch marks spanning his visage. "Including myself, of course," he added as he leveled an intense stare upon them.

"Hey, Ren, is it just me, or does my _tummy _feel funny?" Nora asked uncertainly.

"No, I feel it too," Ren said getting up from his seat, trying to stop himself from shifting uncomfortably as the feeling of being an amoeba beneath a microscope washed over him.

"Your Soul Wavelengths aren't very stable, are they?" Dr. Stein asked. "And yet, the two of you are able to mesh extremely well together. It might be _more _than chance that you two met one another in the Emerald Forest before anyone else," the man observed as he grabbed his chair and reverse-straddled it in front of the entire classroom, his eyes panning from student to student, shudders running up their spines and the hairs on the backs of their necks sticking straight up. "Hmmm, yes, I think this will be a _very _fun year."

"Alright! I've listened to you prattle on long enough!" Jack said finally finding his BS-limit; and apparently a lot sooner than _Yang_ did. "You wanna cut open Jaune and see why he's such a failure, _fine. _But if you think I'm letting you use _Ruby _as your point-of-reference, you've got another thing _coming_!" he raged as his Aura flared around him.

"Hey!" Pyrrha cried.

"Shut up," Jack told the red-head flatly before turning his attention back to Stein. "I don't care if you _are _a teacher, I'll _still _beat your ass!"

"God forbid you make _me _happy," Dr. Stein quipped.

"_Fuck _your god!" Jack growled as he got up on his desk and lunged forward, the ends of his index fingers alight with red Aura as he closed the gap. "Twin Spirit Gun!" he intoned as he shot rays of crimson light off his fingers, blasting the restraints off of ruby's wrists and ankles with four clean shots to the hinges.

"Hey, those shackles were _expensive _you know," Stein chided as he wheeled out of the way, Jack's follow-up attack shearing large gouge marks in the floor.

"Not as expensive as what _I'm_ about to do to your _face_!" Jack growled as he grabbed the waist-level shackle still binding Ruby, tearing it free with a burst of his Semblance, before rushing at Dr. Stein and trying to bash his face in with it. "Team! Get Ruby out of here and call a teacher! This guy is _clearly _a deranged nutcase!"

"Says a fellow deranged nutcase like _yourself_~"

"No-one _asked _you!" Jack said as he redoubled his efforts, only for the screw-headed professor to continue kicking across the floor and twirling atop his seat, his movements completely unpredictable and keeping him out of arm's reach.

"What about _Jaune_?" Pyrrha cried as she struggled to free her leader from his _own _bindings.

"Not _my_ problem!" Jack growled as Stein dodged yet another swipe.

"C'mon, Pyrrha, don't be such a _wuss_," Nora said standing alongside her. "You gotta put your… _back _into it!" the ginger said chipperly as she ripped one of the shackles free.

"Nora, not everyone possesses your monstrous brute strength," Ren said trying to pick one of the ankle shackles with a pair of paperclips.

"I prefer the term _progressive_," Nora pouted as she yanked off another restraint. Off to the side, Pyrrha was gingerly trying to take off the tape binding Jaune's mouth shut. However, Nora then cut in and proceeded to rip it off in one go like a band-aid.

"AAAAUGH! My moustache!" Jaune cried as he held his quivering lip.

"Yeah, great, nature's D-student isn't pinned down like a science class _frog _anymore," Jack huffed as Stein continued to dodge his attacks, the chittering of office chair wheels grating at his ears all the while. "Where the hell's that faculty?!"

"It's no good! The door's locked tight! We can't get out!" Cardin said as he and his team tried to shoulder-check the door open.

"Same with the windows!" Dominic cried as he and his teammates, save Terrence, panickingly pressed themselves against the wall furthest-away from Dr. Stein.

"Then there's only _one _thing left to do," Yang said hefting a desk above her head.

"Oh dear. I can hear Glynda complaining about expense reports _already_," Dr. Stein sighed tiredly as the piece of furniture flew through the air and into a window with a _***CRACK!***_

"Damn, that's one strong _window_," Nora awed as Jaune rolled off the dissection slab, and then proceeded to land on the floor in a boneless heap.

"My body… so weak… he must've… _drugged _me…" Jaune whimpered.

"Really? You don't seem any different to _me_."

"Ha ha, Jack, _veeery _funny," Jaune grumbled at the indignity of it all.

"Wait, you _drugged _him?! What kind of teacher _are _you!?" Pyrrha demanded.

"I only used a _mild _sedative. That and a localized anesthesia for the vivisection," Dr. Stein hummed as he spun in place, twirling his marker idly in his hand.

"We won't let you get away with this," Blake growled, her ears flattening against her head.

"Sorry, but your _compliance…_" Stein said ominously as he turned the screw in his head, "isn't really a factor."

"If you want to, you can _still _cut up _Jaune_, it's no skin off _my _nose."

"Jack!" Pyrrha cried in exasperation.

"What, it's _true_," Jack shrugged as Cardin shoulder-checked the window Yang cracked from before, allowing CRDL and DIRT to file out and get help.

"So… looks like your little plan to keep us all penned in here _failed_," Yang said cracking her knuckles. "Once we tell the school you tried gutting Ruby like a science lab _frog_-"

"And stripped her," Jack said flatly.

"_And _stripped her," Yang went on to amend, "you can kiss your job here at Beacon goodbye, you deranged nutcase!"

"Oh, I don't think that'll really be an issue," Dr. Stein chuckled behind glinting glasses.

"And why's _that_?" Yang asked.

"Because…" he said as an ominous grin tugged at his stitched face. "I've got _tenure_."

" . . . Well _shit_, _that _complicates things," Jack huffed.

"What does tenure mean?" Ruby asked.

"It means that no matter _what _this nutcase does… he can't be fired or otherwise let go," Weiss shuddered, realizing the kind of power this deranged nutball actually _did _hold over them.

"That's right. In fact, Ozpin _himself _signed off on me being your homeroom teacher this term, so any… _experimentation_, is all in good fun," the screw-head chuckled ominously. "So… Who wants to help out first?"

"Jaune does," Jack said pointing a finger at Jaune.

"Jack! Seriously! What the _shit_!" Jaune and Pyrrha both shrieked.

"Hey, I'm trying to save Ruby's _life _here," Jack bit out, only for Pyrrha to level the most-intimidating glare at him she could muster.

Jaune did the same as well, but he was about-as-intimidating as a cocker _spaniel_.

"Alright, _fine_, Big Red, I'll lay off. I've got more-important shit to deal with right now," he surrendered, shelving the Jaune-beating for… whenever Jaune did and/or said something stupid. "Don't let that office chair fool you, this guy's _dangerous_. He gives off the same vibe as that Angel of Death guy from the last war. What was his name again?"

"Doctor Joseph Mangle," Weiss answered.

"Right, _that _guy," Jack nodded.

"Hmmm… Perhaps I'll make a human _millipede_," Dr. Stein hummed as he turned the bolt going through his head. "No. Wait," he said stopping abruptly. "That's just _stupid_," the man reiterated almost-immediately, completely disregarding the idea of using mouth-to-anus surgical grafting to make the two remaining teams into a conjoined nonuplet. "Honestly, anyone who'd _carry out _an idea like that _has _to be brain dead."

"What'd I ever do to deserve this?" Jaune asked as he tried to cover himself up with a nearby discarded book.

"I can think of _one _reason~" Jack chirped.

"Okay, _you _need to _chill_!" Pyrrha growled, quickly nearing _her _BS-limit.

"That was the last of it. I. _Swear_."

"It'd _better _be," the red-head growled.

"Yeah, yeah, it _is. _Don't get your _panties _in a twist."

"So, what's the plan? Should we cut and run, or stand and fight?" Yang asked throwing her uniform jacket over Ruby's shoulders.

"I don't like this guy," Ruby growled as she buttoned Yang's jacket and crossed her hands in front of her panties. "I feel _dirty_," she shuddered, feeling_ tremendously _violated by what had transpired the moment she and Jaune stepped into the classroom.

"Don't worry, Rubes. After this, we'll get you some snuggle-time with your little boy-toy~" Yang cooed consolingly.

" . . . You'd _better_," the red-head pouted as she rubbed the goosebumps on her arms. _'Gonna have to clean my palette _so hard _after this.'_

**"Bow-chicka-bow-wow."**

**Dammit, Tucker! **_**This **_**early in the season? **_**Seriously**_**!?**

**"What can I say? You left yourself wide open. Bow-chicka-bow-wait! No! No, I did **_**not **_**mean that!"**

**Stop while you're ahead, Tucker. Stop while you're ahead.**

**" . . . I get it."**

**Caboose, stay out of this!**

"I'm being very polite here. I am being _very _polite to let you have this conversation right now," Dr. Stein said as he ratchetted the screw in his head.

Wouldn't do to let the review board, _or _the missus, know he was hearing other-worldly voices.

Again.

"So… _Fighting _it is!" Jack nodded.

"Get him!" Nora whooped enthusiastically as she rushed the sitting teacher, a large hardback book raised menacingly overhead. Attempting to bring it down atop his head, spine-first, Dr. Stein caught the attack with his hand before spinning himself around, delivering a powerful roundhouse punch that sent the girl reeling to the side.

As Pyrrha carried Jaune to somewhere he'd be out of the way, Ren was the next to charge. His approach more-refined than Nora's crazed stomping, Ren flowed like water, knife-hand strikes aimed to incapacitate, not kill. Stein however showed great pedal dexterity despite his choice in footwear, small adjustments made allowing him to narrowly dodge each and every attack. Suddenly planting his feet on the floor as Pyrrha and Nora both dove back into the fray, the remainder of Juniper rushing at him from three sides, the man kicked off in a spin, his limbs like helicopter blades as he struck the three teens in a staccato of blows, knocking them off their feet as Team Ruby planned their approach.

Yang the first to run forward, followed by Blake on her left, a less-than-confident Weiss on her right, and Jack taking up the rear, Stein planted his feet on the recovering Ren's back and suddenly pushed off right into Yang. The back of his head meeting the blond's nose with a wicked _***CRACK* **_that snapped her head backwards, the blond was sent sprawling into Weiss and taking them both to the floor while Blake faded out of the way with her shadow. Attempting to restrain him with her ribbon, as her teammates scrambled to get back up, Stein snagged her ribbon and tied it to the handle beneath his seat before spinning in the opposite direction, reeling the girl in and striking her across the cheek. Her big brother figure catching her as she reeled, the Faunus turned the momentum in his favor with a spinning kick that Stein handily nullified.

Team Juniper getting back to their feet at the same time Weiss and Yang did, while Jack set the discombobulated Blake down, Nora, Pyrrha, Ren, Weiss, and Yang rushed at Stein from all sides. However, even though they had the man completely surrounded, the attacking teens got in one another's way, opening them up for further beatings since Stein could use them all as footholds to kick off of, his tall stature and long limbs giving him incredible striking distance. Jack using Yang as a springboard shot up into the ceiling before kicking off and diving at Stein like a meteor, only for the man to slide out of the way as Jack put his fist through the floor.

Jaune, finally able to get back to his feet despite being tranquilized, was swiftly returned to his ass as Stein flicked a piece of chalk at his forehead with a _***THWACK***_, once more bringing the blond male low. Ruby was similarly brought low, though only when she got into a sitting position.

"How the hell's he so good at fighting from a damn _office _chair?" Yang demanded angrily as she wiped the blood from her nose.

"It looks like he's using a modernized take on Fudoza," Blake answered.

"Fu-_what_-za?" Nora asked with a confused tilt.

"It's a stance from ninjutsu that translates into "Immovable Seat". In short, you fight while sitting down," Ren elaborated. "The fact that his seat actually swivels _and _rolls, gives him a tremendous amount of agility despite the low stance he's taken."

"That's great and all, but how does that help us _here_?" Yang asked exasperatedly as Stein continued to dodge, parry, and counter their follow-up attacks as they streamed in.

"Spirit Gun!"

_***Pew*THUD***_

"Nevermind," Yang hummed once Jack's Spirit Gun blasted off one of the wheels and sent the nutty professor sprawling onto his back.

"Hey now, you know how expensive these things get?" Dr. Stein whined as he picked himself up.

"I'm sure the school's insured for it," Jack said lazily as he blew the smoke off his finger. "I don't care if you're a professor or you have tenure or whatever; you touch my kid sister, you're a _dead man_."

"Aww, that's so _sweet_~" Nora cooed.

"And of _course _this's how we start the new term," Ren chuckled.

"Hmmm… Well then, let's see you _back up _that claim."

The next moment Dr. Stein rushed at him, arm drawn back and fingers curled towards his palm.

'_A palm heel strike?' _Jack thought as the professor closed the distance between them, raising his arm to block. _'No wait!'_

But it was too late to dodge. Stein's palm meeting Jack's raised arm, the strength behind the blow was surprisingly deceptive, the _***BOOM* **_like thunder and a ripple through the air staggering the others back before Stein suddenly twisted his wrist, a discharge of off-green electricity throwing Jack completely off his feet, ears ringing as his feet left the ground before unceremoniously dropping to the floor with a loud _***THUD* **_and an- "UGH!"

"What the hell did he _do_?" Yang gawped as the strongest male of their year was thrown completely off his feet.

"Well, this guy's a _teacher_, so maybe he'll _tell us_?" Blake asked as Dr. Stein's hand arced with electricity, the light glinting off his glasses.

"Oh please, I'm not _that _cliché'd," Dr. Stein said flatly. "Now then…" he said as he adjusted the bolt in his head, making a scissoring motion with the other. "Who shall I take apart first?"

"_No _one!" Yang said angrily as Blake helped Jack to her feet. "HIYAH!"

However, Yang's subsequent attack was expertly dodged, and Stein closed in on the frightened Weiss Schnee. The girl attempting to run, Dr. Stein's hand snaked out, grabbing her ponytail by the root and mercilessly hauling her up towards him. A moment later and Weiss' jacket was sent fluttering to the floor.

"Such silky-smooth skin," Dr. Stein hummed as he lifted the girl's shirt despite her protests, exposing the girl's midriff much to the ire of her friends, especially those too-weak to intervene. "Where shall I stick my scalpel in first?" he asked drawing a series of lines on her flawless pale skin with black marker. "Want me to turn all of your skin into sandpaper?" the professor asked maliciously, one of his lenses glinting with an ominous light.

"Hey asshole! I'm still here!" Jack said shaking the fog from his head and rushing at Stein.

"You should just stay down. Don't interfere with my work," Stein said with a half-lidded stare, his free hand arcing with electricity.

"Jack, wait, I don't see an opening!" Blake called out.

"That's why you _make _one!" Jack said making a claw strike towards Stein's right side. The professor still holding Weiss up, the man casually slapped Jack's hand down, the sudden force of his Soul Wavelengths snapping Jack's arm downward. The teen lowered into a rising knee strike, Blake and Yang tried to find an opening to rescue Weiss, but the professor continued to drag her around by the hair, causing stomachs to sink.

"For such a competent fighter, it seems like you're lacking in pattern recognition," Stein said as he continued to repel Jack's frenzied attacks with his Soul Menace.

"Jack!" Weiss cried as the Faunus coughed up blood.

"Guh-hah! I have more pattern recognition than you _realize_!" Jack said as he rushed at Stein once again. Once more he favored the side least-guarded by Weiss' body, and it was similar to the dozen or so failed strikes from before.

However, this time there was an unmistakable _glint _in his eyes, something Stein only realized when a familiar spark of crimson power arced off of the Faunus' hand.

'_What?!'_ Dr. Stein thought with wide eyes, briefly shocked as Jack grabbed Weiss and pushed her body out of the way, exposing Stein's midsection.

"Ratel _WAVE_!" Jack shouted, calling out the first thing that came to mind as he delivered a powerful straight punch to Stein's exposed stomach, arcs of crimson electricity dancing off his form, the man's shoulders hitching from the hit.

"Whoa… Did he just copy Stein's attack?" Nora asked, still groggy from the beating she took before, but coherent enough to at least _watch _as she recovered.

"Jack must've been ruminating over every sensation he experienced during each blow until he could parse out just _what _Stein was doing to him, and how he could do that himself," Ren hummed. _'It isn't just brute strength that makes Jack so formidable. The ability to learn amidst life-threatening crisis isn't to be underestimated either.'_

"But wait… Stein's still standing…!" Pyrrha said worriedly as the man remained on his feet, even continuing to hold Weiss' ponytail with minimum effort.

"Well now, aren't _you _the clever critter," Dr. Stein hummed as he adjusted his glasses. "You really _are _a fast learner."

"_What the hell…! I gave that hit everything I had… Even if it didn't knock him down, it should've done _something_…!" _Jack muttered as he looked at Weiss' pleading eyes.

"As for the reason your Ratel Wave didn't work, I checked out your soul data when you used those Spirit Gun attacks earlier. Since I knew the nature of your Soul Wavelength, all I needed to do to nullify your attack was adjust _my _wavelength to match," Dr. Stein explained, a bit of the color draining from Jack's face. "As for your raw _physical _strength, well, as long as I'm holding _her_," he said jostling Weiss by her ponytail, "you can't really afford to go full-out, can you?"

"_Dammit!"_

"Now then, let's see how fast you can pick up on the _second _trick I just showed you?" Dr. Stein said casually letting Weiss' ponytail go, closing the gap between him and Jack in an instant. Attempting to backpedal, Stein's foot came down atop his own, pinning him in pace before both hands dove at his head in a pincer. The Faunus raised his arms to guard his skull, but it was all for naught.

The next moment all the Faunus knew was pain as off-green arcs of electricity leapt out of both the man's palms, meeting in the middle. Jack's eyes bugging out, the others' panicked cries were muted out by the Faunus' own guttural cries as his limbs went ramrod straight and convulsed, inky tendrils of shadow dancing across the room.

This onslaught continued for a solid ten seconds, and when the blinding light suddenly receded, rivulets of darkened blood spilled out of the Faunus' mouth and eyes as he began staggering backward. The back of his head meeting the ground with a sickening _***Squelch***_ as a halo of blood spread around the Faunus' head, the others could only gape in silence as the strongest of their number went down like a lead weight, tiny columns of steam rising from his mouth. Weiss' hands went to her mouth and her eyes widened as Jack tried to reach out to her in his final moments of lucidity, before his eyes blankened and he went completely still.

"Jack!" Yang cried as Weiss ran over to the downed Faunus. "You bastard! If you touch one more hair on his head, I'll-"

"Relax. I don't dissect _damaged merchandise_," the nutty professor said flippantly as he adjusted his glasses.

Those last two words echoing in Yang's ear, her mind flashed back to the time Jack had borne his soul to her, and the utterly objective way Dr. Stein classified the Faunus caused her blood to _boil_.

_***KROOM***_

**"You asshole! I'll make you **_**regret **_**those words!**" Yang bellowed angrily as she lunged at Stein.

"Hoh? Did I touch a nerve?" Stein chuckled as he kicked the remains of his chair into Yang's face, the blond punching it into a hundred pieces before she lunged at him, the man lazily dodging around her attacks. "Since you're the only one getting this heated over it, you must know something the others don't. Am I in the ballpark?"

**"That's none of **_**your **_**BUSINESS!"** Yang growled, completely red-eyed as the embers from her hair made new shadows dance around the room. Dr. Stein continued to parry her attacks, even sending the blond reeling with his Soul Menace attacks. However, each time, Yang shrugged it off and dove right back in, the whipping air around them growing stronger and stronger with every swing of Yang's arms, furniture rattling as Yang's strength continued to skyrocket.

"Hm. Interesting. Your Semblance is actually causing your Soul Wavelength to fluctuate not unlike the tongues of a bonfire. My Soul Menace doesn't actually have all that much to latch _onto_ for too much a period of time," the mad scientist hummed as the honest-to-goodness scientist part of himself came to fore.

**"Is there a **_**rest stop **_**between now and the fucking _point_?!"**Yang growled angrily.

"Only that you're more-uniquely-suited to stand against my Soul Menace than your sexually attractive friend over there," he said pointing at Jack.

"Oh, _gross_!" Jaune retched.

"I never said _I _was attracted to him, only that he _is _sexually attractive; if the rumors about his promiscuity are anything to go by," Stein rebutted.

" . . . Oh," Jaune hummed after an awkward pause.

"That sounded kinda homophobic… Wanna talk about it?" Ren asked.

"That _came out _wrong!"

"Giggidy!"

"Nora…"

"I have _nothing _against gays!" Jaune defended.

"Just wanted to be sure," Ren stated flatly.

"Anyhow…" Stein said as more off-green electricity danced off his fingers. "This should be a fun experiment. Let's see just what secret sauce gives you the kick I'm looking for."

"Don't worry, guys! I've got this!" Nora shouted as she threw herself at Stein.

**One second later…**

"I-I-I do-o-o _no-o-o-ot _go-o-o-ot thi-i-i-is!" Nora cried out as she was quote/unquote "electrocuted".

"Ms. Valkyrie, your Semblance lets you absorb electricity, not forms of energy that only _resemble _electricity," Dr. Stein chided the shock-happy girl.

"Where the heck are our _teachers_?!" Weiss demanded angrily.

"You don't think the faculty _acquiesced _this, do you?" Blake asked worriedly.

"What's stopping us from just cutting and running?" Yang asked.

"Pride and three loads of dead weight," Ren said flatly in reference to their two teams' leaders and Jack, his fists turning knuckle-white as Nora was dropped to the floor in a spasming mess. "Make that _four_," he amended.

"And that's two powerhouses accounted for," Stein hummed, satisfied that both Jack and Nora wouldn't be getting up any time soon. "Now… Any other volunteers-"

The next moment an entire student's desk was brought down atop the man's head, exploding in a shower of wooden splinters.

"_Man _that guy loves to hear himself talk," Yang said clapping the dust from her hands.

"_Oh, you don't know the _half_ of it,"_ a voice from under the pile of splintered wood spoke up.

A hand exploding out from beneath the pile and clamping around the blond's ankle, before she could split the man's arm in half with the business end of her money-maker -i.e. fist-, off-green lightning coursed up her leg and into her body. Another dancing line of shadows cast across the room, the blond brawler was laid low a few moments later, Stein rising from the pile of broken wood and dusting himself off like nothing happened.

"Now we have _five _loads of dead weight…" Ren grumbled, Weiss steeling herself at his side. The heiress turning to her defeated or otherwise incapacitated friends, filled with ire at the way her midriff had been marred by him, the heiress whipped out her Scroll and punched in her RPL's recall code.

_***Bz*Bzzt***_

"What?"

_***Bz*Bzzt***_

"I was honestly wondering _when _one of you would try that," Dr. Stein hummed as Weiss tried and failed to summon her locker; and the Variable Action Dust Rapier held within. "Obviously I wouldn't want my data getting _contaminated_, so I've taken certain measures to keep things quarantined."

" . . . Oh crap," Weiss muttered unsophisticatedly.

"If we live through this, I am going to write a _very _strongly-worded letter to the Vale Council about this misconduct," Pyrrha hummed as she got into a fighting stance; admittedly, she wasn't as-adept at hand-to-hand as Yang, Jack, or Ren were, but she could hold her own after getting a feel of how her opponent fought.

That and she never skipped leg day.

"So… You think we really have a chance?" Weiss asked as she, Blake, Pyrrha, and Ren formed a line in front of Jaune and Ruby.

"It isn't a matter of whether or not we have a _chance_. We just have to _win_," Ren reaffirmed. "Otherwise…"

"Those poor science lab frogs," Pyrrha hummed as the two Mistrali teens cast a look Jaune and Ruby's way.

"Hey, he wants to dissect me _too _you know!" Weiss cried.

"But in all seriousness, we _will _be having words with the faculty if we survive this," Blake hummed. "I don't care if he _does _have tenure."

"Well, what're you waiting for…?" Stein asked opening his arms beckoningly. "The doctor… is _in_."

_***NEW WORLD***_

"How… How could this have happened?" Weiss asked with wide eyes as she beheld the defeated forms of her peers around her.

The four of them mere minutes ago had rushed at the nutty professor; even if they couldn't defeat him, the ruckus they kicked up should've caused _someone _to come up and investigate.

Of course, it wouldn't be until much later that they'd learn the school feared Dr. Stein as much if not moreso than the Grimm. Something about people having the toes on their feet swapped around or some nonsense that-wasn't-_actually_-nonsense.

Ren was the first to move in with Pyrrha right behind him, winding up the same Force Palm technique he'd used in the Emerald Forest during the Initiation. However, like before, Stein modulated his Soul Wavelengths to _match _Ren's own, rendering the attack useless before delivering a brutal uppercut to the teen's gut that folded him in half.

A literal moment later and Pyrrha jumped in with a flying kick, uncaring that in her current attire she was giving the man an unabashed look up her skirt. To Dr. Stein's credit he wasn't bothered by it at the slightest, rising up to meet her with his _own _kick well before hers even connected. The girl reeling from the sole lodged in her visage, Stein closed the gap between them with an instant before wrapping his hand around her face and planting her firmly into the floorboards, unconscious but not dead.

Blake's lunge was placed as the splinters from the previous attack still hung in the air. The girl becoming three perfectly-identical duplicates, using Pyrrha's face as a springboard Stein hauled himself up into a handstand before swinging out his legs in a helicopter kick that turned them all into smoke, the original having another Shadow take her place as she attempted a knife-hand strike from above, only for the man to snap his feet shut around said hand like a bear trap before contorting his body and flinging her into a row of desks.

Given all she'd seen before, the heiress shouldn't have thought it would play out any different, but try she did to restrain him with her Semblance. Hauling him into the air by his wrists, ankles, waist, and neck, for a moment it seemed like her Glyphs had successfully held the man in place, but all of a sudden the Glyphs around him began to spin wildly of their own accord before shaking themselves to pieces like CDs exceeding their structural spin limit, the recoil sending the heiress flat on her back.

All of this happened in under a minute.

A _whole _minute if you decided to _highball _it.

Suffice it to say, the heiress' spirits were sufficiently crushed.

"Well… Now that _that's _out of the way," Dr. Stein said turning away from the last of the defeated teens, clapping the dust from his hands in the wake of his handiwork. "Let's get to the _fun part_. I always _did _want to see how the Schnee Semblance works."

"Ah…! Ah…! Ah…!" As ice-blue eyes beheld the defeated forms of her peers around her and Stein approached her unimpeded, Weiss remained rooted to the floor, petrified with fear. The light glinting ominously off the man's glasses, the hand descending towards her felt like a headman's axe, every passing second heralding her eventual demise.

With faculty nowhere to be found and her peers laid out on the floor around her, the heiress clamped her eyes shut, praying for someone… _anyone_… to come and save her.

"I WON'T LET YOU TOUCH HER!"

The sound of rustling cloth meeting her ears, Weiss' eyes snapped open in time to see Ruby draping herself above her on all fours, the girl's silver eyes narrowed in defiance as she imposed herself between she and Stein.

"Oh? You really intend to get in my way?" Stein asked ominously as he worked the cricks out of his fingers.

" . . . "

Ruby's answer was none at all, the girl remaining resolute even as the terrifying professor's hand descended upon her in Weiss' stead.

"Hm. Good answer," Dr. Stein smirked, drawing his hand back from the scythe-wielder's head. "You passed."

"What-"

"Class dismissed, see you all tomorrow," Dr. Stein said chipperly as he straddled a replacement office chair, kicked off his desk, and shot into the hallway.

" . . . What the _fuck _just happened?" Jaune gawped as their homeroom teacher just cut and run, right when things were at their most ominous.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**In numerous other stories I've read, the NAME "Dr. Stein" (inspired by ****Doctor Frankenstein****) has been mentioned whenever a doctor has been needed, but to MY knowledge, the one from Soul Eater has not been used in a RWBY story that is not specifically a ****Soul Eater**** crossover.**

**The REASON for the Soul Eater crossover (as established in the prequel) is obvious; the series revolves heavily around the utilization of spiritual energy, as well as transforming weapons. True, those weapons don't transform **_**mechanically**_**, instead transforming meta-physically between Weapon and Human forms, but the fact that ****Soul Eater**** revolves so heavily around **_**souls**_**, which Aura essentially **_**is**_**, and adding Dr. Stein to the cast only seemed natural. And of course, I made a **_**ton **_**of foreshadowing in the prequel for future events so… yeah, **_**that**_**.**

**Dr. Stein's use of Soul Menace/Soul Force should make it obvious (for those of you familiar with ****Soul Eater****) that Soul **_**Resonance**_** will be one such topic covered in his class, and this in itself offers up a wide array of story-altering ideas.**

**Soul Menace is used "by resonating with one's own soul", though since SELF-resonance is harder to explain than two SEPARATE people resonating their souls, I'll try and illustrate this with a visual imagery.**

**Imagine a square-shaped tray filled with water. Now, toss a pebble or something into that water. The "ripples" are the user's Aura, and the edges of the tray are the "confines" of their own body. When the "ripples" bounce against the walls and begin criss-crossing WITHIN the tray, that would be "self-resonance". That's how I imagine Soul Menace Works.**

**And… That's it for the first chapter. I'm going to try a new writing model where I write **_**shorter **_**chapters so I can post more-frequently, and while this will result in more LITERARY arcs… it should offer me some more freedom to work with and smaller time-gaps where writer's block slows me down.**

**Anyway, hope to hear from you soon! Be sure to Review so I know what-works, what-doesn't.**

**Until next time on Giant-Slayer: New World!**


	2. First Day: Advanced Dust Manipulation

**Greywing44:** I like it! Come to think of it Soul And Aura are a lot alike. It doesn't really work like armor but it can be projected outwards like a weapon.  
Related note, did Stein's Technique have a name before or did you make it up?  
Also related note, are you going to have semblances where people can turn into weapons or was only Stein crossed over?  
And you're adding soul resonance? I surmise it'll be different then Maka's witch hunter or demon hunter...Though I suppose Ruby's eyes are similar to Demon hunter. They could probably destroy possession type Grimm who took over humans.

**NeoNazo356:** Glad to see the first Review was from a familiar face.  
As for Stein's Soul Menace, yes that was its name from the "Soul Eater" Canon. Jack's Ratel Wave is a play on Black Star's Ultimate Move: Black Star Big Wave, and there's a very good reason for that being the case even though Jack and Black Star have never met.  
As for the Demon Weapons' ability, yes, I plan for it to be a Hereditary Semblance (similar to the Schnee Glyphs) since in Soul Eater, the ability to turn into a Demon Weapon is in fact "Hereditary". That Semblance are confirmed to be Hereditary in Canon makes for a smoother segue.  
When it comes to Soul Resonance from "Soul Eater", since Aura in "RWBY" is used as a "power source" by similar vein, it isn't too hard to imagine that something similar could be done in "RWBY". However, when it comes to moves like the Witch-Hunt Slash, Demon-Hunt Slash, etc., those moves become _usable_ because of Soul Resonance. Think of them like the Combo Moves from team-based RTS games where certain high-octane moves only become usable through teamwork.  
**EX:** If Ruby and Jack were to use Soul Resonance to combine their Semblance together, the end-result would be something like the Super Fang Wolf Fang/Chō Garōga from Naruto, since the power of their Semblance isn't only Added Together, but Multiplied as well; like the Power Level of those performing the Fusion Dance or using Patora Earrings.

**Guest: **:I love this !  
ALSO , WHAT THE HELL?

**NeoNazo356:** I... can't really reply to you if you do this anonymously.  
Did you at least read the Prequel?

_***NEW WORLD***_

"No seriously! What the _fuck _just happened?!" Jaune gaped as Team Juniper and Team Ruby waited outside the infirmary a while after early dismissal.

"I told you, Jaune, after Ruby passed some kind of messed-up test that Dr. Stein cooked up, we were let out early, and now we're all licking our wounds before our next class," Ren stated, an ice pack held to the forming bruise across his abdomen.

"I… still have mixed feelings about our homeroom teacher," Pyrrha said holding an icepack to the back of her head. "Was Dr. Stein ever _really _going to dissect us, or was he playing the villain so he could evaluate our _character_?"

"I'm pretty sure he _was_," Ruby said from beside her sister, the girl re-clothed after a search of the teacher's desk found hers and Jaune's clothing waiting for them. "As soon as school's out, I'm going to give Arthur a call."

"Why not call him _right now_?" Weiss asked as she nervously flattened her shirt. The marker lines from before were still there, so as soon as the day ended, she was going to give the blackened skin a thorough scrubbing until all the crud was off.

"She probably doesn't want to interrupt his _own _schooling," Blake commented as a nurse bandaged her wounds. "Remember, Ruby's boyfriend is still attending Combat School, so-"

"Ruby has a _boyfriend_!" Nora gaped, bouncing back as-impressively as ever from Stein's assault.

"Yes, and as I was saying, he still has formal schooling, so Ruby can't pester him with phone calls all day every day," the stoic girl continued.

" . . . So does anyone else feel like we let one another down, or is it just me?" Yang asked.

At that, the group fell silent, their swift defeat from before hanging over their heads like storm clouds. Last-term they were all the cream of the crop, best grades among their peers and some of the strongest Freshmen that Beacon had had in years. And yet, all that confidence was swiftly undone by a mad doctor with a body modification fetish.

"I'm just worried about whether or not Jack will be okay," Blake hummed worriedly. "Even if that attack wasn't _electricity, _Jack still took it to the brain for a solid ten seconds, and people are _not _supposed to bleed from the mouth and eyes like that," she shuddered, remembering the state they'd found him in before calling the paramedics.

"That and the back of his head exploded like a ripe tomato when he hit the ground," Yang muttered.

"Hey now, Jack's a tough critter! He'll pull through!" Nora said with a goofy grin. A grin that slowly spread through the group, lightening everyone's moods.

"Ruby Rose," Dr. Katt said as she stepped out of the examination room.

"Dr. Katt, is Jack going to be okay?" Ruby asked worriedly.

"I'm not exactly thrilled to be seeing him so-soon into the new term, but yes, he's going to be okay," the doctor replied. "However… while there isn't any _permanent _damage, Jack will still be a little… well…" she paused, looking at the Faunus' chart before coming out and saying it. "I'm just going to come out and say it; Jack will be a bit of a _vegetable _until he recovers."

"A _VEGETABLE_?!" Team RWBY and JNPR gawked.

"Not in the _long-term_!" Dr. Katt said waving her hands frantically. "If what he were hit with was _electricity_, then yeah, that might've been the case, but since this was an _Auric _attack, Jack's condition is more metaphysical than anything else…"

"What do you mean?" Yang asked.

"Well, I mean… You know how Aura makes you mostly bulletproof, or capable of surviving great falls, or more-resistant to blades than body armor?" the doctor groused. "Well, Jack's own Aura took the brunt of the attack Dr. Stein used, hence whey he isn't _dead_, but since his Aura is connected to his _Soul_, and both that and his _brain _were attacked… Think of it like a computer that has to reboot in order to update its software."

"So you're saying Jack _will _recover, but like a computer in the process of updating, he can't really _do _anything until he's done," Blake hummed.

"Something like that," Dr. Katt replied. "Bring him back around if his condition persists for more than twelve hours. Until then, you'll have to carry him around, make sure he attends all his classes."

"Shouldn't Jack be _resting_, though?" Weiss asked.

"To be honest, given the _vector _of his condition, _where _he rests isn't as-important as whom he's resting _around_," she replied. "As long as you don't let him out of your sights, Jack should be right as rain with a little rest."

"Well… Alright, then," Ruby hummed, clapping her hands to her cheeks as she rose from her seat. "Come on, team! We've still got three classes and a lunch break to power through, so let's _beat _these Mondays! Banzai!" she rallied, the rest of Team RWBY replying to her sentiment with varying levels of enthusiasm.

"Oh! Wait! I have a question!" Yang suddenly called out. "Why'd the back of Jack's head explode like a ripe tomato when he hit the floor?"

"Yeah, there was blood _eeeverywhere_!" Nora gawked.

"Oh that?" Dr. Katt blinked. "Well, as it turned out, Dr. Stein's attack agitated an old wound on the back of his skull, and _landing _on said wound just agitated it even further. The attack and the fall both ruptured a blood vessel, but the wound had already begun to heal well before I dressed the wound. Most I had to do was run some water through his hair and rub a little ointment into his scalp."

"How old is the wound?" Yang found herself asking.

"I'm not expert in _that _field of medicine, but I'd say… he probably got it in his early teens. Maybe_ pre-_teens," the doctor hummed, Yang's shoulders hitching. "Is there anything else you wanted to know?"

"Nope. Nope. I'm… good," Yang answered tensely, much to the others' confusion.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"I'm really glad Dr. Katt loaned us this wheelchair," Ruby hummed as she pushed the Faunus along. "If we had to _carry_ him, he might be kinda heavy…"

"Yeah. Let's make sure not to _lose him _this time," Weiss chided.

"Wait, you _lost _him?" Jaune questioned.

"It was a one-time thing!" the black-haired girl blushed furiously.

"How the heck do you _lose _a guy when he's in a freakin' wheelchair?" Nora asked gesturing to the somewhat-vegetative Faunus.

She'd once moved to poke at his face, but Ren had dutifully slapped her hand away to preserve his peer's dignity.

"Very easily apparently," Yang huffed, holding onto Jack's hand as they wheeled him along. Jack was still breathing, but that glassy-eyed look kinda creeped her -and the others- out, so during the free time they had until second block, the blond went back to their room and grabbed her aviator's sunglasses.

It didn't make him any _better_, but it made it easier to carry him around.

That and it helped preserve his dignity; something Weiss showed a great deal of insistence on upholding in his unconscious state.

"Still, I'm not really looking forward to homeroom tomorrow," Jaune grumbled. "I feel violated."

"You're a guy. You don't get to _feel _violated about stuff. Only _offended_," Nora huffed.

"That seems like a double-standard," Jaune huffed in turn.

"The world's _full _of them," Ren commented.

"Still, I can't help but agree with Jaune," Pyrrha hummed. "Can we really trust Dr. Stein to have our best interests at heart after the way he treated us today?"

" . . . To be honest, the man terrifies me," Weiss stated, drawing the others' attention to her. "Feeling those eyes on me makes my skin crawl, and the way he utterly _objectified _us as test subjects to be cut open and studied doesn't sit well with me. But still…" she listed off, her hand finding Jack's, remembering how much he'd endured in her defense, despite their past animosity toward one another. "That he was able to defeat all of us speaks a great deal to his ability not only as a fighter, but as an Aura-user as well. If we can digest even a _fraction _of that ability… I think we'd all have a much better chance of attaining our respective ambitions in the near or far-off future."

"So then I guess it's a case of crappy teaching, great results," Yang hummed. Her uncle Qrow might've been a bit eccentric, and the drinking would make most parents _beyond _wary of having him teach their children, but if said children could be given the skills and tools to _survive… _a little eccentricity was an acceptable compromise.

"Alright. But if he tries dissecting us again, I am writing a _very _strongly-worded letter," Pyrrha huffed angrily.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Their free time given to them by Dr. Stein eventually vanished like the sands in an hourglass, and with plenty of time teams RWBY and JNPR made their way to second period, titled **Advanced Dust Manipulation** in their syllabus. As opposed to homeroom, there weren't any suspiciously-placed wheel-in chalkboards, just attending students.

"Yeesh, what happened to _him_?" Cardin asked glancing Jack's way as he was wheeled in.

"Why are _you _worried?" Jaune wondered.

"Yeah! You totally _ditched _us!" Ruby cried.

"Hey, I _tried _getting help, but no-one wanted to touch that place with a ten-foot _pole_!" Cardin defended. "_Those _guys on the other hand…" he said jabbing a thumb at Dominic and his posse.

"Stow it, Winchester," Dominic grumbled with a bit of spine.

"Make me, _DIRT_-minic… Okay in retrospect, that quip sounded better in my head," Cardin hummed after a pause. " . . . Your team's name is _Dirt_! Ha!" he said recovering, causing the brown-haired teen to growl indignantly.

"Still, I must say, to put _the _Jack Braxton in such a state, Dr. Stein must be _truly _terrifying," Terrence hummed with interlaced fingers, an oddly-satisfied smirk on his face.

"Yes, well, you'll all have to deal with him same as us tomorrow, so don't act like this isn't your problem," Weiss huffed. Stein was _not _the kind of person whose hands she wanted on her body.

"So… You think our next teacher's going to be another eccentric weirdo?" Nora asked.

"God I _hope_ not," Jaune shuddered, the classroom door opening leading to confident strides entering the room, all conversation halting as they beheld who they assumed to be their second period teacher.

The woman was tall and on the slender side with a pale white complexion, fiery red hair brushed to the right, and piercing gold-colored eyes pronounced by the dark eyeliner she wore. Her attire while far from conservative wasn't entirely-revealing either, hinting it may've been what she wore on-the-job as a Huntress, showing she was someone who valued their individuality and didn't subject themselves to conformism.

Aforementioned attire consisted of a red tank top exposing ample yet-tasteful cleavage and a tan-colored sleeveless leather jacket with a fluffy collar zipped up to the underside of her bosom, leaving a narrow band of midriff visible. From the waist-down she was clad in black tight-fitting pants and dark-brown leather chaps, and armored greaves over armored wedge-heeled boots. In addition to the tattered yellow waist-cape dangling loosely off her hips, she also had fingerless leather gloves that stopped midway up her forearm, with a semi-automatic pistol holstered to her right thigh, the ammo belt around her waist loaded up with various kinds of Dust Bullets.

The most-striking part of her however were the wavy, borderline abstract, blue-colored tattoos dominating the left side of her body from the neck down, ripples of glowing energy briefly rolling through them like waves of fire over water.

"Good morning, class," the woman greeted as she made her way to the front of the room. "My name is Lilith Varod; friends call me Lilith. I'll be your Advanced Dust Manipulation teacher this term," she said writing her name on the board in elegant cursive with long sweeping chalkstrokes. "Now, before we begin the introductory lecture… What the heck happened to _him_?" she asked glancing at Jack, the Faunus slumped forward with his glasses in his lap, revealing glassy half-lidded eyes.

"Dr. Stein kinda fried his brain this morning," Yang said straightening him and putting the glasses back over his eyes. "Dr. Katt says he should return to normal by the end of the day, but until he snaps out of what Dr. Stein did to him, the guy's going to be a bit of a vegetable."

"Oh… Well, if Dr. _Stein _is involved, I can definitely give that a pass," the woman nodded in understanding as Black tied the Faunus to the back of the chair with a spare ribbon so he wouldn't fall out. "You will of course be expected to fill him in on anything he's missed. Not unless you _want _him falling behind."

"Don't worry, I'll record everything the teachers say and play it back to him later," Ruby said taking out her Scroll, bringing Lilith into frame. "Aaand… scene!"

" . . . Alright. Class, welcome to Advanced Dust Manipulation," Lilith announced, straightening her clothes subconsciously as she was filmed.

_'Yes! Finally something I'm better at than _everyone else_!' _Weiss thought giddily, a manic grin on her face with eyes to match.

"Some of what we cover will be theory, but when it comes to using Dust, I believe the best way to learn is to _do_, so most of our classes not covering theory will be held at one of the training grounds as we practice _application _of Dust Theory," Lilith stated. "Not only will you be learning how to _safely _handle Dust in both its powdered and crystallized forms, you'll also be learning to use it in tandem with your Semblance."

At this, those not-already versed in Dust Synergy murmured excitedly.

"Now, while every Human and Faunus has the potential to _develop _a Semblance, even when there's overlap, those Semblance will behave very differently on an _internal _level from person to person, so when it comes to synergizing Dust with your Aura and Semblance proper, you'll be largely on your own since I can't use your Semblance _for _you," Lilith went on to say. "Some people may find it harder than others to use Dust in tandem with your Semblance, but even if you have a hard time of it, that doesn't give you the excuse to slack off and become a one-trick-pony. If I catch you slacking off, there'll be point deductions. As long as you _try_, you'll receive full marks. I'm being very _generous _with this, so don't screw me over on this."

The woman's eyes hardening at this declaration, the tattoos visible across her body emitting a faint glow, those that were able to sat up straighter in their chairs, nodding their heads frantically.

After a few moments the woman's eyes softened, and the visible parts of her tattoos dimmed.

"Depending on how much progress we make, we might even have the opportunity to get into Dust Crafting, the practice of binding Dust to inanimate objects like weapons or even _cloth _to give it Elemental Properties," Lilith then stated. "While binding Dust to cloth is the most-common, Dust can also be bound to the body in either its rawest form, or as tattoos. Of course, _those _will be lessons for another day."

The prospect of learning to bind Dust to objects, even as-common a practice as binding it to _cloth_, was enough to cause excited murmurs to pass through the gathered students. Cloth bound to Red Dust could keep you warmer than even the most heavily-insulated fibers of equivalent size and weight, a thermos bound to Cyan Dust could keep your drinks cold for pretty much _ever_, and those were just the _mundane _applications of Dust other than being a fuel source. The _crazier _creations that Dust Crafters could make wouldn't be too out-of-place in the Fantasy genre, or games like **Dragon's Dungeon**.

The reason Dust-bound novelties was such a, well, _novelty_, was because _creating _said novelties was incredibly dangerous if the wrong type of Dust was set off.

Like by something as-mundane as a sneeze.

"Of course, like I said, Dust Crafting will only come up if you really _wow _me with your progress, so just keep that in mind," Lilith said cutting through the excited muttering. "When it comes to Dust Manipulation proper, Nature's Wrath is usually divided into two categories; Thaumaturgy, and Magecraft. The vernacular is derived from the Age of Magic, which you may've been taught about in History class, assuming Professor Oobleck-"

"_Doctor!"_ a voice said from outside.

"-went off the reservation on you and into his own little world," Lilith continued, nonplussed. "Thaumaturgy is the usage of Dust you have on-hand to invoke Nature's Wrath, which in the past was referred to as 'Magic' until the _scientific _principles of Dust were more-largely understood. Magecraft on the other hand is the 'more-magical' of the two, taking pre-existing Dust in the surrounding atmosphere or environment to invoke Nature's Wrath without actually coming into physical contact with it."

"Wait, there's Dust in the _air_?" Ruby asked confusedly.

"Dust emissions, commonly referred to as Seithr, forms an incredibly small percentile of the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land we walk on. That percentile is so small that even when the surrounding air is on fire, there won't be any sort of Dust Explosion," Lilith answered. "Also, because there's a very finite amount of Seithr in a given space of air, water, or earth, Magecraft isn't a very _reliable _form of Dust Manipulation because once the Seithr in a given area is exhausted, that Seithr won't return for anywhere between weeks, months, or even _years _depending on the ambient air conditions."

"So… You could use Seithr to do something like… change the _weather_?" Ruby asked, thinking back to something she'd seen Glynda do upon their first meeting.

"Weather manipulation is one of the more-common forms of Magecraft, so yes, that's a very good example," Lilith answered. "Of course, while I'll be teaching you the _mechanics _of Magecraft, that's something you'll have to experiment with on your own, since in the long-term, Magecraft doesn't form an effective combat strategy, and if we tried practicing it on Beacon grounds, we'd run out of Seithr to practice on in a week."

"Will Dust be _provided_, or do we need to bring our own?" Weiss asked with a raised hand.

"Beacon Academy will provide a _stipend_ for you all to practice with, though admittedly, the granular quality won't be all that great since for educational purposes, the school tends to buy middle-tier product in bulk," Lilith answered.

"_Hey Weiss."_

"_Yes?"_

"_Make sure you don't _Schneeze _on any of it," _the blond chuckled.

"_Uuugh/Yang/Bad joke,"_ was the varied reply of her peers.

"_What? That was _hilarious_. Wasn't it, Jack?"_ the blond asked, jostling the Faunus' shoulder so his head bobbed up and down. _"See? _He _agrees with me," _the blond said with a grin before Weiss slapped her hand away.

"Ahem!" Lilith coughed into her hand, the blond straightening in her sat as the lecture continued.

Following this introductory lecture about what they would be covering, Lilith capped off the class with your standardized Dust Safety lecture, most of which was actually taken from a beat-up SDC DUST For Dummies and other Inadequate Individuals pamphlet she pulled out of her pocket.

For Weiss who actually retained several copies to hand out to those she deemed quote/unquote "inadequate", being on the _receiving end_ of an SDC product safety lecture, the heiress could see how the material itself came across as a bit _condescending_ to its customer base.

When the line **Do not shake the products** came about, the heiress was _especially _embarrassed because not only did she do just that, but she did so right in the face of someone on the verge of sneezing; something the pamphlet went as far as to point out with the quote **Avoid sneezing on exposed Dust**.

If her sister, or god forbid her _father, _had been around to see _that _particular episode, she might've never heard the end of it.

It was quite fortunate that her attendants had their backs turned when that happened.

Either that or they knew to be discrete when it came to the daughter of the man who signed their paychecks and could easily blacklist them from the kingdom of Atlas if he wanted to.

Of course, Weiss had no way of knowing at-present that the entire thing had been _recorded_ and was presently flitting about the Interweb, and that it had in _fact _made it back home to her father's office before his PR Department began suppressing aforementioned footage.

But _that_, is a story for another day.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**Borderlands****, being one of my favorite video game series (Ever. Of all time.), is one of the crossovers I've most looked forward to adding to ****Giant-Slayer****. Given how a lot of Lilith's Skills revolve around Elemental Damage, having her teach a class on Dust Manipulation & Nature's Wrath seemed natural.**

**As for her full NAME, Lilith Varod, it's nameplay. "Lilith" is a Night Demon from Jewish Mythology. According to Spaceman who did the research, Lilith's favorite color is Pink, and the Hebrew word for Pink is Varod/Valrod, thus falling line with the naming theme of ****RWBY**** that's thematic with color.**

**For her "tattoos", I have a more Remnant-centric explanation in the works. Suffice it to say, this means that her "Phasewalk" is a Semblance which allows her to cross into a parallel dimension "overlapping" Remnant's own, and the fiery explosion is caused by the "friction" that is created when she is re-introduced into Real Space as she "pushes aside" the matter in the space she is then-now occupying at relativistic speeds. Since Dust and Eridium are basically "Energy Propellants", plot points from ****Borderlands**** can be interchangeable in Remnant, apart from the fact that Remnant isn't a mining colony in the middle of nowhere space rife with corporate warfare and an outbreak of escaped convicts.**

**P.S.  
Has anyone checked out the "Lost Chapter" at the end of Giant-Slayer proper? It may've been taken off the** Follow **list, so that might've been part of it.**


	3. Chance Encounter

**NeoNazo356: **First announcement. For those of you that haven't caught it yet, there is a "Lost Chapter" at the end of the original Giant-Slayer waiting for your purview in case you haven't seen it yet. Just a hidden "extra" for those of you that haven't removed Giant-Slayer from the **Follow** list. It's been in planning for a long time, but I wanted to make it a simulrelease alongside the beginning of Giant-Slayer (Volume 2) New World.  
And now onto the fanmail!

**Greywing44: **Yes! I was hoping Lilith would be in this one! She's one of my favorite characters in Borderlands(Npc mostly) Gameplay wise I prefer Wilhelm, Axton, or even Roland(May god rest his stoic, awkward soul).  
I think if you added Tina you'd break the system. Or the building realistically.  
So her tattoos were made because she was either exposed to a high amount of dust in the womb or...Heredity? The long term effects of dust on the body were never fully explained so you could go with that I suppose. Or maybe just crazy mothers eating dust to make their babies strong and healthy. I can see Corperations pitching that and going to war in a kind of subtle way...  
This chapter is kind of slow compared to the last one. But Lilith makes it worth it.

**NeoNazo356: **When it comes to Lilith's tattoos in the RWBYverse, they're made with Dust as part of the "fuse it with their own bodies" angle touched up on in the World of Remnant: Dust sub-episode. Basically, turning Dust into Tattoos is a more-refined version of what Hazel does when he jams Dust crystals into his body for an "undiluted" power boost like Bane does with the neo-steroid Venom.  
As for the chapters being slow, since I'm making them _shorter _in able to get them out more-frequently, well, it's a tradeoff. Not to say there won't be action later-on, it'll just be more-concentrated instead of being spread out through super-large chapters like in Giant-Slayer. I think a couple chapters in that were 15, maybe 20k words in length, maybe even _more _than that at some points.

**KitsuneDragon: **So since you said Thaumaturgy and Magecraft have a seemingly low combat potential does that mean there are no true mages existing in the World of Remnant currently aside from people like Salem and Ozpin?  
Cuz magic in combat as shown in a lot of shows and anime is amazing and OP when in the right hands.

**NeoNazo356:** By-and-large, "magic" is considered by the public as "fiction" or "fantasy"; as evident by Jack and Ruby's dialogue on the very subject #epicforeshadowing. In the way that "sufficiently-advanced science is indistinguishable from magic", while _originally_, Dust was considered "magical", once people began to _understand _it, it changed from Magic to Science. In a fantasy/sci-fi world like RWBY that has both "rivets" and "trees", the _line _between Magic and Science can become especially-blurred.  
Since the bulk of this story was planned _well _before the whole Canon explanation of Magic in Volume 6, there will be significant differences from the Canon. The ending of Volume 3 will be the largest "deviating" point from the Canon into a long-standing Fanon. Doubly-so since RWBY seems to have "lost direction" in recent years.  
I haven't _quit_ RWBY altogether like some fans have, but I'm just not going to re-write entire swaths of my story to accommodate a Canon that's less-exciting than I thought it would be. This is _fan_fiction after all.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Well, Lilith seemed… nice," Blake hummed as the two teams made their way to lunch.

"I _like _her," Yang agreed with a nod.

"Of _course _you'd like her," Weiss huffed disparagingly.

"Is that a slam on my fashion sense?" the blond asked, feathers ruffled.

"I'm just saying, a Beacon professor should dress a bit more… _respectably_, is all," Weiss argued.

"You just have your panties in a twist about her clothes because you're too much of a prude to show a little skin," the blond huffed as she poked Weiss in the sternum just-above her budding bosom.

"You leave my epidermis _out of this_!" Weiss hissed smartly as she swatted the blond's finger away.

"Fine, I'll leave your _skin _out of this," Yang returned before turning to her primary ribbing target. "So Blake, you wanna talk about him _now_?"

"Talk about who?" Nora asked as they got in line.

"The boy Blake stayed the night with yesterday," Yang said stirring the pot.

"Blake met a _boy_?!" Nora gawped audibly.

"Don't sound so shocked!" the raven-haired girl cried.

"Way to go, girlfriend! I _knew _you could get any guy you wanted!"

"For the hundredth! Time! Nothing! _Happened_!" Blake shrieked, angrily piling food onto her tray.

"Hello, again," a chipper voice greeted from behind the buffet line.

"UWAAAGH!" Blake cried throwing her arms, and her _tray_, upwards.

"Ohcrap!" a familiar white-haired teen cried as he planted a hand atop the sneeze guard separating them and vaulted upwards, his free hand extended. The tray landing atop his extended hand, one by one the heaved food items landed on the tray, the white-haired teen precariously balancing each and every object, not a one falling on its side. "Whew. That was a close one."

"Vincent?! What the heck are _you _doing here!?" Blake cried in shock at who was in front of her right now.

Because apparently _that _was the more-shocking of the two.

"I _work _here now," the teen said chipperly. "Not _here_-here per-se, but I was asked to make up for a labor deficit because someone caught a really bad bug on the weekend and couldn't stop hugging the porcelain throne. Whatever _that _means," he said shrugging one shoulder.

"Soooooo… By Blake's reaction just-now, you must be the boy Blake spent the _night_ with~" Yang cooed looking like the cat that ate the canary. "I'm Yang, nice to meet you!" she said extending her hand.

"_Oh gooood…"_ Blake groaned as she palmed her face, which was flushing brighter and brighter red by the moment.

"Nice to meet you too!" the teen said returning the blond's infectious smile. "I'd shake your hand, but they're kinda full right now," he said adjusting his balance.

"I'll say. That's quite the handstand," Pyrrha nodded appreciably.

"I think you're gawking at the wrong thing," Jaune hummed as he looked at Blake's undisturbed food.

His eyes may not've been as "fast" as everyone else's, but even _he _could see that as the foodstuffs were still falling, the white-haired handstander had shifted the tray just-enough so that no one object landed atop the one that came before.

"To balance himself like that with only one arm _is _impressive," Ren noted.

"Well, you know how it goes. Robot arm's stronger than my human one," Vincent replied with a nod.

"Yes, but… Your robot arm's on the _right _side," Blake murmured, pointing out the fact that the teen was holding himself aloft with his _left _arm.

" . . . " Looking down, then back up at Blake, Vincent realized he was-in-fact holding himself aloft with his flesh-and-blood arm. "Oh crap…" he muttered as his arm began to wobble. "Someone catch MEEEEE!" he cried as his arm gave out from under the weight.

The teen nosediving toward the floor, Blake was just a _bit _too slow to catch him, the white-haired teen's face meeting the floor with a- _***WHAM* **_-as he went over.

" . . . Ow."

"Love the dismount, but he flopped the landing," Nora sighed disappointingly.

"Maybe, but I give him points for keeping the food intact," Ren noted as he eyed the relatively-undisturbed food.

"My back…" Vincent groaned into the floor, back arced painfully and feet dangling above his head.

"I feel your pain, buddy," Jaune said, taking a knee and patting the teen's shoulder consolingly.

"Vincent, I am _so _sorry I didn't catch you!" Blake apologized profusely as she took the tray from his upheld hand. "Can you stand?"

"Yeah… Give me a second," Vincent said planting both hands on the floor. His back arcing even further, eyes went wide as the white-haired teen contorted himself until his feet met the floor before raising himself up to a standing position not unlike a contortionist. _"Hup,"_ he grunted upon reaching full height, bending down to touch his toes now that he was on his own feet, audibly popping his back. "That is… _much _better," he said as he stood back straight, rubbing his face from when he landed.

"Flexible _too_? Blake you _dog_~" Yang cooed batting a paw following the whitette's display.

"_Yang I get that you're bored without Jack around to talk to but don't take it out on me!"_ Blake hissed hurriedly before turning her attention to Vincent. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. No permanent damage," the teen replied as he twisted from left to right. "Still though, small world, huh, Blake?"

"Yeah… Small world," Blake replied nervously. "Anyway, back to what I was saying earlier… What the heck are you _doing _here?! At _Beacon_!?"

"Well, Old Man Wok didn't want me spending the best years of my life behind a counter, so he talked to an old friend of his and got me a job up on the hill so I'd be able to make friends my own age," the white-haired teen answered as casually as one would about the weather. "Or at least that's the vibe _I_ was able to get off of him," he said rubbing his chin.

"So you're saying… you're going to be here…" Blake said in realization as she began to pale a little.

"Every day?" Yang asked with a glint in her eyes.

"Pretty much," the older teen replied with an enthused nod. "_Why_?" he then asked with a confused tilt of his head.

"Ohhhh… No reason~" Yang cooed. "No reason at all~" she said creeping up behind Blake and putting her hands on her shoulders. "Noooo reeeasooooon aaat alllllll~" the blond drawled quite-auibly as she discretely nudged Blake forward.

" . . . Well _that_ isn't ominous at _all_," Vincent said with a beaming smile before his arm was suddenly grabbed.

"Would you excuse me for a second? I need to talk to him alone," Blake said dragging him off.

"Be sure to make it a quickie~ We've got _class_ after this!" Yang called out, Blake flushing crimson in embarrassment as numerous eyes followed her out.

_***NEW WORLD***_

After dragging Vincent out of the food court at large, Blake dragged him around the corner and placed the both of them in the shadow of one of the pillars. Glancing around to make sure they weren't being watched, Blake then pinioned the white-haired teen a look as she tried to gather her thoughts. She'd just assumed she would _not _see him again after that morning, so seeing him _again _the very same day… kinda pulled the rug out from under her.

"So… Listen… About the _kiss _this morning…" Blake began nervously.

"Yeah? What about it?" Vincent asked with a shrug.

"You uh… Wait, _what_?" Blake asked to his question with a raised brow.

"What about it?" he repeated.

"Well um… I mean… I just didn't want you to get the wrong _idea_. Kind of a spur-of-the-moment kinda thing I didn't really think through and... _Huh_?" she asked after another pause.

"What do you mean by wrong idea?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

"You uh… Uh… Uhhhhhhhh…" Blake said completely unprepared for this overly-aloof personality type. "Just… Thank you. For letting me stay the night at your place," she decided to say.

"Hey, no problem! Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet!" Vincent replied with a chipper smile.

"Right… Friends…" Blake nodded. "Out of curiosity… What do you think of me?"

"What do you mean?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

" . . . You know what, nevermind. I'm just gonna chalk it up to the amnesia?"

"Chalk _what _up to the amnesia?"

"Please go back to work," Blake said hitting the emergency exit button for that conversation.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"_That _was fast," Yang said the _literal _moment Blake returned. "So is he just that _good_ or...?"

"Or _nothing_. We only talked. And _nothing_ else," Blake said tersely.

"Geez, don't have a _cow _Blake, I was just teasing," the blond said raising her hands. "So you really _didn't _do anything then?"

"No! Why do I have to keep repeating myself?!"

"Well I mean, you're such a pretty girl, I just thought it'd be really _easy _for you to sink your claws into any guy you wanted," Yang answered honestly.

"As-flattering as that is," Blake said sarcastically, "I'm not that kind of girl," she finished with a flat look.

"Right. Right. I guess what they say about 'the quiet ones' doesn't apply to _all _quiet, bookish girls," Yang conceded.

"Thank you. _Finally _we're all on the same page," Blake sighed.

"I apologize for letting Yang convince me otherwise," Weiss saw fit to add. "I honestly _did _think you used your feminine wiles to secure a room for yourself when you _didn't _rent a hotel room the other night."

"I'm just glad we cleared up this misunderstanding," Blake sighed.

"So what do you _think _of him?" Yang cooed.

"Oh not this shit again."

"I'm _serious_. What do you think of him? You don't spend the night at a guy's place without at least _liking _them."

"Well…" Blake sighed, thankful Yang was no longer of the thought process that she _slept _with him. "He's… a really nice guy. I saw him save a couple Faunus from those racists that hit Jack with that Molotov, and he even walked them home. It was… really _inspiring_," she said with a fond smile. "After realizing I missed the last ship to Beacon, Vincent made me dinner and even gave me the bed while he took the couch. That he didn't try to do anything skeevy to me…" she paused, thinking back to the unbroken tape in the doorway. "He's really _different _from most boys."

"I'll say. He must have a very generous benefactor if he has Automail that articulate," Weiss hummed.

"You _noticed_?" Blake gawped.

"Why wouldn't I? Outside of Rush Valley in Vacuo, Atlas is the leading provider of Automail prostheses," Weiss returned as she ate. "When he caught that tray with his right hand, the sound it made clued me in."

"Yes, well, as it turns out, the guy doesn't even _remember _where his Automail came from," Blake sighed. "He has a huge scar under his hairline, and most of his past memories are just… _gone_."

"Wait, you mean like legit _amnesia_?" Yang asked.

"I thought that only happened in cheesy soap operas after the writers wrote themselves into a _corner_," Nora hummed contemplatively.

"Yes. I was a little skeptical at first, but the scarring on his head backs it up," Blake returned. "I'm glad that someone genuinely nice found him. If it were anyone _dubious_, who _knows _what might've happened to him."

"Probably sold into slavery," Yang shrugged as she picked at her food.

"Whoa, Yang, _that's _really fucking dark," Nora bit out. "Where the hell'd you come up with _that _idea?"

"Yeah, Yang, slavery was outlawed _ages_ ago," Ruby returned. "I remember because I didn't fall asleep in History that day."

"Just because something's illegal doesn't mean people will stop doing it," Yang bit out as she ate, her mood suddenly soured.

To her credit, she was conscious-enough about it not to glance Jack's way, because she might break her promise if she started laying out bread crumbs for people to follow because of her big mouth.

" . . . Still, that was really fucking _dark._"

"Yes, Nora. We noticed."

"Hey wait a minute, what did you mean when you said he saved some Faunus from 'those racists that attacked Jack'? What the heck were they doing out of jail-"

"Holding."

"Don't care, Yang- So early?" Ruby asked turning her attention back to Blake.

"The police are corrupt. End-of-story," Blake said tersely.

" . . . Well _that's _really disheartening," Pyrrha sighed. "Do you at least know what happened to them afterward?"

"Probably sleeping off their beating in a dumpster somewhere," Blake hummed noncommittally.

The less she knew about what the White Fang did out-of-uniform, the better.

Plus, since she wasn't involved in the… _disposal_, of those racists, she could claim plausible deniability if it came up on the news or something.

"Oh, so the guy can _fight _then?" Yang asked curiously.

"Only in times of extreme duress, apparently," Blake replied.

"So where do you think he's _staying_?"

"Didn't ask," Blake shrugged as she returned to her food. "Doubt it's anywhere nearby."

Blake _would_ of course learn that god has a sick sense of humor.

But _that_, is a story for another day.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**AN:  
I **_**did **_**technically hint at this during the prequel. I mainly moved Vincent to Beacon so that way it wouldn't be **_**only **_**Jack causing the plot to "move along".**

**That's also partly why I fried Jack's brain in the first chapter of the sequel. So that unlike the _prequel_, Jack wouldn't be the only cog in the machine (that is the narrative).**


	4. First Day: Battlefield Survival

**KitsuneDragon:** Oh cool! Vincent's back. Poor Blake is gonna be having a bunch of encounters across Beacon these days isn't she, and alllll the teasing from yang to go with it.  
Also, while I do understand your whole magic is indistinguishable from science thing, just wan to clarify. So true magic, like the usage of magic circles, spells or anything related to such methods of using magic, none of that exists then?

**NeoNazo356:** Glad to have readers being attached to another OC; I think the reason most of them have shit-reputations on this site is because so many tend to just be "re-skins" of already-established characters, or borderline Naruto re-skins. That or Gary-Stu self-inserts with No Character Flaws. But now I'm just rambling.  
As for _magic_... The cameos and crossovers I've made in the past hint at just that. You just have to go over the "who-has-appeared" and "what's-been-said" in the prequel with a fine-toothed comb. The answers _are _in there, but not blatantly obvious as someone's saying- "Magic is real." -or- "Magic is not real." -out _loud_. It's no fun if I just blurt it out and take out all the mystery.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So… _What _exactly happened to him?" their third-period teacher asked as soon as he laid eyes on Jack, following his introduction.

Seeing that he was bound to a wheelchair with aviator glasses on his face and tied back with a black ribbon across the abdomen, it was plain to see he was quote/unquote "out of it".

"Dr. Stein-"

"Say no more," the man interrupted Yang with raised hands.

"Wait, that's all the explanation you _need_?" Ruby asked.

"Yup," the man nodded in turn.

"Huh..." Weiss hummed.

Apparently the mere utterance of Stein's _name _was enough to "explain away" any weirdness one encountered at Beacon.

Either that or Stein was the go-to excuse for whenever things went wrong.

But _that_, is a story for another-

**"Oh, not _that _tired joke again."**

**Tucker, go back to Camelot.**

**"Camel_toe_!"**

**Of course you'd call it that.**

**"Hey, don't leave _me _out of the fun!"**

**Sister, there isn't anything in this chapter you could get off on.**

**"Fft! Killjoy."**

**Moving on before this cutaway gets any more out-of-control...**

Aforementioned man, Roland Vert as he introduced himself, was a firmly dominating presence the moment he'd set foot in the room with long, confident strides. Standing at a little over six feet in height, Roland was a muscular broad-shouldered man with dark skin, fierce hazel eyes, and chiseled features with a squared jaw; the sort of man that'd make any woman swoon on merit of looks _and _strength alone.

His attire, more utilitarian than that of their previous instructors, consisted of gray-and-brown camouflage pants, a short-sleeved skin-tight gray muscle shirt with red lines going down the sleeves, black combat webbing with numerous ammo pouches, and various pieces of gunmetal-colored armor on his right arm, left shin, right knee, and boots, a small shield emitter synched across his abdomen, with a combat pack slung across his back. Situated atop his head was a black beret worn toward his left, and above his right eye was a shield-shaped patch featuring the symbol of the Atlesian ground forces; a crimson lance.

To Weiss' observant eyes, the dark coloration and utilitarian style of his attire hinted at previous involvement with the Atlesian _Black _Ops, but how and why he was wearing that attire out in the _open_ she was unsure.

The only reason she didn't think him to be a defector was because Atlas took _those _very seriously, blacklisting them across the kingdoms so that the only place these skilled but-often-_unskilled _individuals could find solace was the criminal underworld.

"Since Ms. Rose hasn't yet started recording, I'll introduce myself again," he began, realizing that after his run-in with Dr. Stein, Jack was in no condition to _participate _in the day's lecture; let alone _remember _any of it. "My name is Roland Vert, I will be your Battlefield Survival instructor during this term. Topics covered will include but are not limited to Ballistics, Battlefield Medicine, First Aid, Shelter, Tactics, Topography, Leadership, Mind Preparedness, Navigation, and Resource Management among others. There _will _be homework from your provided reading materials, so be sure to set aside time each evening to get it completed on-time. In addition, the class as a _whole _will receive a secondary summary grading dependent on how much material we are able to cover. The more you are able to digest by the end of this term, the better your chances of surviving to the end of your first _year _will be," he announced, the more-dutious taking notes.

"That's… a lot," Jaune gulped audibly in the face of their pending curriculum.

"If it's too much _work_ for you, or if it's too _hard_, I can always send you _home_," Roland said turning his eyes to the blond.

"No thank you, sir!" Jaune yelped, the man's fierce gaze causing him to snap out a salute. For some reason, something about the man's gaze made him feel really guilty, like he'd done something wrong.

And then he remembered how Jack had laid into him before, and the paranoid part of his mind began to wonder-

Did Roland know?

Who among the faculty _didn't _know?

If they _did _know, why was he being allowed to stay?

Would he really get sent to quote/unquote "butt-pounding lockdown" for falsifying information on a federal form?

These questions would plague his mind for the rest of the period.

Or at least until he fixated on something _else_.

"Moving on," Roland said drawing the class' attention back to himself. "All of you probably came to this school with a number of aspirations in your heads. That after you graduated you'll get to go out into the world and slay monsters, or explore old ruins, or even 'save the girl'," he said making air-quotes condescendingly. "Well I'm here to tell you, you're _wrong_," he then asserted, causing everyone to flinch back. "When you become a Huntsman, it isn't your job to slay monsters, go on adventures, or save people. You're _exterminators_ with a job to do that you're _expected _to do with efficiency and excellence regardless of the circumstances levied against you…"

"Um… Isn't that a bit of a _grim _outlook?" Pyrrha asked nervously.

Despite her own pedigree, even _she _had the same romanticized ideas about what being a Hunter was like.

"It's students with the _romanticized _idea of what being a Huntsman is about that die _first_," Roland said in turn, causing the red-head to flinch back. "While you are here under my tutelage, I will be raising you up into the soldiers you'll eventually become. Soldiers against the tides of Grimm crashing against the shores of our kingdom and those beyond. Soldiers against your fellow man who wish to upset the lifestyle to which you have become accustomed to. But most-importantly, soldiers against whatever childish naivety you brought into this room _with _you. Perhaps, if you're able to lead by example, future freshman classes won't have at least one team wipe on a yearly basis."

Suffice it to say, compared to Lilith before, Roland was a real downer.

"First lesson: You won't always have access to the custom-tooled, over-modified weapons most of you probably constructed at your old school or otherwise had commissioned," Roland began. "There may be times where you have to hold fortified positions in far-off regions for extended periods of time and all you'll have access to are _non_-transformative weapons available on-site after the ammo you've brought with you has been expended. Weapon maintenance is tremendously important in our line of work, and all of you, even those of you who have only used _melee _weapons before now, will learn how to clean and field strip your standard armaments," he said throwing the tarp off a nearby table revealing multiple black cases with the Atlesian Ground Forces' crimson lance insignia on them.

'_How did no-one notice that was _there_?' _Blake questioned as she and the others were ushered to the front of the room and collected their cleaning kits. Aforementioned kits consisted of brass rods, bronze brushes, mops, spear-pointed jags, slotted patch loops, utility brushes, muzzle guards, accessory adapters, cleaning patches, and polishing cloths. Also provided were small tins of gun oil.

"Now, I want you to familiarize yourselves with all the items in your cleaning kits. Once you have, each of you will be given a weapon to clean and field-strip. We will repeat this exercise until the end of class," Roland said throwing the tarp off a large crate filled with old weapons; like the bargain bin at a used DVD store. "I'll walk you through the first exercise and answer any questions you might have, but on subsequent repetitions, I expect you to _retain _what you've learned. There's no reason _not _to know how to field strip, clean, and re-assemble your standard firearm."

_'Okay, the _first _thing I can understand being overlooked, but how did no-one notice _that_?' _Blake questioned with a twitching brow as she beheld the bin full of used and/or dirty firearms.

"Um… Aren't you going to let us out _early_?" Dominic asked with a raised hand, glancing to the clock.

"And why do you ask _that_, soldier?"

"Well, all the _other _teachers did it-"

"Do I _look _like the 'other teachers'?" Roland asked lowly, the leader of DIRT shrinking into his seat. "I don't know how your classes before _now_ were handled, and I don't care. As long as you're in _this _classroom, you do _what _I say _when _I say it, and no-one leaves without my leave. Is that understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" Weiss said snapping out a salute.

"Good! Seems at least _one _of you has a brain," Roland huffed.

"Hey, I take exception to that!" 'Jack' stated.

In actuality it was just Nora flailing his arms around with rope tied to his wrists like a marionette, hiding her face behind a book.

"Hey! Stop that!" Yang cried as she grabbed the ropes lifting Jack's arms aloft, she and Nora bickering between themselves as Jack was pulled every which way.

'_Teenagers. Just the worst,' _Roland sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Ugh. This gun oil is so... _filthy_," Weiss retched, still stuck on her first run of the first-day exercise.

"Geez, never took _you _for a whiner," Yang hummed as she cleaned a pump-action shotgun.

"I am not _whining_," Weiss, unironically, whined. "All I'm saying is, the school could spend a little more on higher-end cleaning supplies," she shuddered as she stared at the stains on her fingertips.

"What, you mean like that lavender-scented crap you use on your Myrtenaster?" Yang asked sarcastically.

"It's _mint_-scented you dolt," Weiss huffed embarrassingly.

"At least _Ruby _seems to be having a good time," Blake hummed off-handedly.

"Almost _too good _of a time..." Nora hummed conspiratorially as they watched the girl work.

_'Yes! Finally! Something I'm better at than_ everyone else_!' _the red-hooded girl thought giddily, a manic grin on her face with eyes to match as she field stripped, cleaned, and re-assembled firearm after firearm with an almost machine-like precision, a growing pile of spick-and-span firearms forming off to her side and spilling over onto the floor.

"Well... Glad to see _someone's _enjoying themselves," Roland hummed aloud as he watched the girl work. Most people treated gun maintenance like a _chore_, but Ruby tackled it with the zeal one would a cherished hobby.

And it wasn't _just _the speed he was impressed by, but the attention to detail to each part and the dexterity through which she carried out her work.

Then again, with all the work he assumed the Crescent Rose needed to remain in peak condition with how-radical the transformation between collapsed, sniper, and scythe forms were, it only made sense that the leader of Team Ruby would be well-versed in weapon maintenance.

"Um... Where are these going to go after they're finished?" Jaune asked with a raised hand as he disassembled a firearm for the first time.

Heck, he hadn't even _fired _one before coming to Beacon.

Given his current skill level with his _chosen _weapon, that was probably for the best.

"These are just the rentals from the gun range," Roland answered. "And I _will _be grading you on your individual marksmanship."

"Awww..." Jaune moaned.

"Swish~" Ruby chirped giddily, flicking her wrist out above her head.

"Don't get cocky, soldier," Roland said gruffly.

"Sorry, sir," Ruby apologized, running through her firearms at a more languid pace. "Question."

"Yes?"

"Where are the sniper rifles?"

"We don't have those here. Due to their over-specialized nature, if you want to work with those you'll have to take part in a school club."

"Like a _sniper's _club?" Ruby asked hopefully with sparkling eyes.

"Sure," Roland shrugged. The man had never actually _observed _Ruby using her sniper rifle in its intended configuration, so she could actually be a crack shot with the thing and he just didn't know it yet.

However, since she was still only fifteen and two-years-early-graduate from her formative Combat School, he'd reserve his judgement for a later date.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**The next OG Borderlands character to make an appearance is "The Soldier" Roland. His surname, Vert, means "famous land" from the Germanic elements hrod "fame" and land. In classic literature, Roland was a semi-legendary French hero whose story is told in the medieval epic ****La Chanson de Roland****, in which he is a nephew of Charlemagne killed in battle with the Saracens. The Normans introduced this name to England. Roland's favorite color is Green.**

**Like Dr. Oobleck said in RWBY Volume 2 Chapter 9 ****Search and Destroy****\- "Not every mission is filled with daring heroism, girls. Sometimes it's just a heightened form of extermination. Remember, this is a job, and you all signed up for it." While Ruby (and I assume most people in Remnant) view Huntsmen and Huntresses as "heroes", like is said on the ****Magic the Gathering**** card **Hall of Triumph**, _"_**_**Heroes act without thought of glory or reward. Accolades are a consequence, not a goal."**_

**Ultimately, what being a Hunter boils down to once you "strip away the varnish", is that you become a "soldier" to fight back the Darkness. Roland seemed like the perfect person to get it into their heads that they are **_**not **_**training to become "Heroes" or to go on "Adventures", but that they have a job to do, and everything else comes second or is just consequence.**

**I know that Dr. Oobleck tackles the same thing in the Canon, but it just seems like the sort of thing that should be done _earlier _so the students don't get any bad habits ingrained. I get that they're "kids" and all, but they're being saddled with _way _too much responsibility not to be made aware just _what _is at stake.  
**


	5. First Day: Hand-to-Hand Combat

****NeoNazo356: ****First announcement, I'm pleased to announce that Giant-Slayer: New World has some new Cover Art, courtesy of **KegiSpringfield** on DeviantArt, the same artist who made the cover art for the _prequel _(which depicted Jack's turning-point in Chapter 6: The Rift Between Humans and Faunus). Unlike the previous cover however, this one has a happier, more _upbeat_ feel to it. Or at least that's how I intended it.  
Moreover, this picture is more-indicative of the "Red Rabbit" ship that I've been building up to in the prequel since the "boy next door" from Patch was too good to pass up. Initially most thought it would be a Jack/Ruby ship, which is why I established their brother/sister dynamic to counteract that sentiment.  
Moving on, the artwork is presently $15 USD per-character, but given the quality of the artwork, I think it's a pretty good deal, so if you want a Commission done, RWBY-related or otherwise, give **KegiSpringfield** a poke on DA if you're interested.  
Anyway, onto the fanmail!

**Blaze1992: **Good so far but I really hated the stein bit, there should've been backlash and Jack should've been able to maim/wound him.  
Again I hated that entire sequence of events.

**NeoNazo356:** Well, I'm glad to see that Chapter 1 was so thought-provoking.  
If you've ever watched/read Soul Eater, you'll now about Stein's "moral ambiguity". As for why I _established _he has "tenure", that's precisely the reason why there wasn't any kind of "backlash"; because he is an explicitly _tenured _professor meaning he can do whatever the hell he wants in the class and not be fired because he was qualified to _receive _tenure.  
As for Jack possibly "maim/wound"(ing) Stein... In the previous story, Jack kind of "stole the show" because, as the Foundation of Giant-Slayer as a whole, I wanted to establish what was _possible _in the Fanon, compared to the RWBY Canon which in-comparison to this story is like comparing the Power Levels of Dragonball to Dragonball Z. I had Jack explicitly _state _there were people stronger than him he considered "real fucking monsters", though I may've been a little _too _subtle in my attempts, so I decided to show Jack being handily defeated. It wasn't that Jack was "nerfed", but his high-end attacks have "AOE" that could hurt Ruby (and to an extension, Jaune), and more-importantly, Dr. Franken Stein is described as a "genius", both academically and combatively, so in the _context _of Dr. Stein (Soul Eater) within the world of RWBY where his academic understanding of the soul (and its mechanics) would leave him uniquely-qualified to excel, it only makes sense that Stein would be able to win. On a biological level, Jack's body might be a "high-performance" variety, but Stein is at least twice his age with far more fighting experience under his belt, so it's only understandable that in this scenario, Jack would be out-of-his depth; Dr. Stein is a teacher for a reason after all.  
In short, the characters in Giant-Slayer will be stronger than their Canon RWBY counterparts because the "bar" has been set much higher, and the world more expansive. Why do you think I've been adding crossovers like Negima, Halo, Toriko, Soul Eater, and so-on?

And no, I'm not giving such an elaborate answer to fluff the word-count for this chapter, this is an honest reply of _why _I went the way I did.

Moving on, onto the show!

_***NEW WORLD***_

True to his word, Roland had waited to dismiss them at the last-possible second, ensuring they received the most instruction out of him possible without infringing on their next class.

"My hands still stink…" Weiss groaned, even after washing her hands; several times.

"That's what _she _said~" Yang purred suggestively.

"Gross," Blake groaned tiredly as her partner made a lewd gesture with her hand.

"Yeah, sis! Keep your head out of the gutter!" Ruby cried embarrasingly.

"Hey, _Jack _liked it? Isn't that right buddy?" the blond asked leaning forward.

"Yeah, that was _so _funny. Ha ha ha ha ha," "Jack" said in turn. "You make me laugh so much, will you go steady with me?"

In actuality is was only Yang opening and closing his mouth.

"Would you _stop that _already?!" Weiss demanded as she swatted the blond's hands away. "Jack put his life on the _line _for me and you _will _show him the respect and dignity he deserves!"

"Geez, _someone's _a grumpy gopher," Yang huffed.

"Grumpy gopher? Seriously?" Blake asked with a raised brow.

"So… First day's almost over," Pyrrha hummed, defusing the situation before anyone got too nettled. "Anyone still nervous?"

"After what Dr. Stein put us through this morning, _nothing _can make me nervous," Jaune shuddered.

Compared to _that _manic Monday, he could probably sit through _any _horror movie without screaming "like a girl".

"So, what's next on the itinerary?" Nora asked aloud as she skipped along, bouncing back just-as-readily as she ever had.

She wasn't one to let a nutty professor bum her out.

"According to the syllabus… Hand-to-Hand Combat in the gym," Ren hummed as he looked down at his Scroll.

"Aw _sweet_! Finally something I'm better at than _everyone else_!" Yang whooped flexing her arm.

_'I feel like this is some sort of _theme_, but I don't know why,' _Blake hummed to herself.

"Hey, I'm no pushover _either_, blondie!" Nora said flexing her own arm in turn.

"Ugh, I'm gonna be so _bad _at this…" Ruby grumbled, lamenting her present lack of hand-to-hand ability.

Ability she'd always envied her _sister_ for, at least in the back of her mind.

_'Note to self: Get Yang to help you with face-punching later...' _Ruby noted to herself.

"Hey, at least you aren't the _only _one," Jaune conceded. "I'm not all that hot at hand-to-hand either."

"Nor are you with your primary _weapon_."

"Nora, why are _you _piling onto me?" Jaune whined as the ginger mussed the Faunus' mouth.

"You were all treating Jack like he wasn't here, so I just wanted him to contribute to the _conversation_ is all~" Nora replied chipperly.

"Would you all _stop that_?!" the heiress shrieked as she slapped the ginger's hand away as well.

"Still, it _is _a certain irony after Roland's class," Ren hummed aloud.

"I don't see how _you _aren't excited for this. You killed a King Taijitu with your _bare hands_!" Ruby whined.

"It only counts if you use _only _your bare hands," Ren downplayed.

"Bull_shit _it does! Your SMGs didn't do squat, and then _you_ made that thing's head explode like a science fair _volcano_!" Nora quipped back excitedly.

"Still, it _will _be good to round our bases," Pyrrha hummed as she glanced over to Jack, thinking back to how he'd completely outclassed her even without his primary weapon back when they'd first thought.

Mind you, no-one participating in the Mistral Regional had ever outright _discarded _their weapon when fighting her, but she couldn't help but wonder… Had the Faunus' former teammates _not _scrapped his initial weapons forcing him to upgrade from dual-axes to a shotgun/axe, would things have played out any different?

She hadn't known Jack for all-that-long, but whenever she watched him fight, or thought back to her _own _fight against him, she got the distinct impression that Jack only treated his weapon as "something convenient" instead of something to trust your life to; like she did with Miló and Akoúo̱. That he instead trusted his own flesh and blood _more _when it came to "getting the job done".

Then again, after seeing just _what _that flesh-and-blood body of his could do, she could understand the sentiment. Faunus' "claws" were always sharper than Humans', and even if they didn't have _literal _claws, their _metaphorical _"claws" in the vein of their other heightened senses and greater resistance to the elements and other natural hazards made them, at least on a biological level, superior to unaugmented Humans.

_'Maybe_ that's _where all his pride comes from,_' the girl mused to herself before speaking. "How _is _Jack doing by the way?"

"Oh, you know… Still a vegetable," Blake sighed.

"Still, he's _breathing_, so _that's _a good sign," Yang nodded.

"Fingers crossed we don't have anyone _too _eccentric," Weiss sighed. "There's only so much I can _handle _in one day," she said thinking back to Dr. Stein singularly.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Sup? Name's Brice Phoenix, but everyone just calls me 'Brick'. I know _I _do," the man added with a stupid grin on his face as he thundered into the room.

Aforementioned teacher was… larger than life, both literally and metaphorically to say the _very_ least.

Standing over eight feet tall and nearly that wide from shoulder to shoulder, Brick was an _enormous _specimen of a man; so-enormous in fact that the word "colossal" might be better suited to describe him. The guy had more muscles in his neck than most people had in their entire bodies (read: that's an exaggeration yet at the same time it's _not _an exaggeration), and his massive arms bellied brute, monstrous strength comparable to a tactical WMD. In fact, he was so-laden with muscle that the floors actually _creaked _under his enormous girth; since muscle weighed more than fat it was a given, but still nonetheless incredibly intimidating. For those who had seen the Bishokuya, Toriko, in person, immediate comparisons about their musculature could be made; albeit Brick's arms were more-powerful-looking while Toriko's muscle distribution was more balanced between speed _and _strength instead of Brick's "pure strength" build.

In terms of appearance he had thick leathery skin covered in scars of all kinds, indicative of many years as a frontline fighter i.e. "tank", facial features like crudely-carved stone, sunken steel-gray eyes, and brown hair cropped incredibly short. He wasn't a handsome man by any means, but it didn't seem like he particularly _minded _the fact, as he made no attempt to compensate for societally-percieved "aesthetic shortcomings" with fancy clothing or the like.

His attire, surprising no-one, lacked sleeves in any capacity; almost as though no mortal sleeves could contain the raw, overwhelming power his arms contained. His shirt, consisting of enough material to make an entire regular-sized outfit was blue, over which he wore a black leather jacket with bolt-laden armored plates on the shoulders. His legs, at least half-as-beefy as his arms, were clad in dark jeans that just barely conformed to his every curve, crevice, and bulge, a heavy-gauge chain and padlock serving as a belt. His boots were made of thick brown leather and featured armored toes with bolts sticking out of them, guaranteeing that any ass kicked by aforementioned boots would swiftly have a new hole wrent upon them.

In short, he was a man comfortable in his own skin that was built like a brick house _-or a bomb shelter-_, even with a face "only a mother could love".

_'I feel really inadequate right now…' _Jaune and Cardin alike, as well as the rest of the latter's team and the bulk of DIRT, thought as they drank in the wall, nay, _mountain _of muscle before them.

You literally had to crane your neck up at him to make eye contact.

"I'm going to be your fourth-period teacher this term," the giant of a man replied casually amidst everyone drinking him in, seemingly oblivious to the blend of awe and terror he evoked in his students.

" . . . "

" . . . "

" . . . "

"Shit, _what_ was I supposed to do next?" Brick asked, drawing index cards from his pocket while everyone face faulted.

_'_This_ is our teacher…?' _Weiss gawked with wide eyes, as though she couldn't believe what she was seeing. _'This _jar-head _is the one who's going to be teaching us? I can feel my IQ dropping already,' _she groaned despondently as the man flipped through his premade cards made by someone that was _clearly _not him.

Fortunately, she wasn't the _only _one who thought along those lines, although other descriptions were less derogatory in nature.

"Eh, fuck it. This is basically just gym class with more _face_-punching," the man said chucking the index cards lazily over his shoulder. "So… First lesson of the day… We're going to practice _emptying _your thoughts!"

"Um… _Why_?" Dominic saw fit to ask.

"Why _not_?" the giant of a man rebuttled.

"Uhhh…"

Dominic had no words.

"Sometimes, you just have to listen to your _gut_," he said drumming his belly; which in this case was like a side of beef. "And you can't _listen _to your gut if you've got too much going on upstairs. I've _tried _using my head and it's gotten me _nothing _but trouble. That's why I don't listen to it anymore."

_"_ _. . . How did this guy become a teacher, exactly?" _Weiss whispered over her shoulder.

"I _like _him," Yang answered with a vigorous nod. She wasn't much for thinking everything through either.

"Of course you would," the heiress sighed tiredly. Both the blond _and _Brick were punch-happy maniacs, it seemed.

"So, seeing as how we don't do _book work _here, we'll just worry about workin' up a good sweat and puttin' some _meat _on those bones," Brick nodded enthusiastically as he flexed beefy arms capable of bench-pressing a city bus. "Now… Show me what you got!"

Everyone looked at one another unsuredly for a few moments, but after acclimating to the fact that Brick was his own kind of eccentric, summarily decided-

_'Just roll with it.'_

"So… just empty… your head?" Ruby asked slowly for clarification, this being the _most _ambiguous request a teacher had ever made at her.

In every other class she'd taken it was things like "read this chapter before next class" or "do a paper on this subject" or "complete that worksheet". Not… _this_.

"Yeah, just like what you're doing now, but with less thinking," Brick nodded.

"Okay…" Ruby nodded, deciding like the others- _'Just roll with it.'_

The next few minutes consisted of everyone awkwardly listing about, trying to empty their heads even while their thoughts were awhirl. Some sat down, others remained standing, and suffice it to say the silence was awkward with a capital _A_. Eventually, after the silence dragged on for what felt like an eternity, it was finally broken.

"You! Brilliant!" Brick suddenly called out, extending a meaty finger towards Jack, who at the moment was still incognizant and slumping-over at chest level in his chair. "That's _exactly _what it means to empty your thoughts! A!" he bellowed as he drew out a piece of paper before scribbling an **A+ **on it with red marker before slapping it onto the Faunus' forehead.

"Jack isn't even _conscious _right now!" Weiss cried as Jack lolled forward again.

It wasn't that she was _opposed _to Jack getting good grades, she just wasn't keen on people getting grades they didn't _consciously _earn.

Did Brick not even _see _the wheelchair? Or the fact that his head was lolling to the side like he was asleep?

"You! Too much thinking! F!"

_***Whap***_

"AAAAUGH! It BUUUUURNS!" Weiss shrieked as a big fat **F **was slapped onto her forehead.

"Ummm… _What_?" Blake asked confusedly as actual _steam _rolled off her head, the paper _***hiss***_ing audibly.

"Don't worry. I'm confused too," Yang added as the heiress stopped, dropped, and rolled.

"Did someone mix up the Holy Water with sulfuric acid?" Nora asked confusedly, Ren sighing his head with no way to answer that.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Okay. I think that's enough not-thinking for one day," Brick hummed a while later; likely as soon as the enormous man-child grew bored. "Before I send you home early for the day, I'm gonna _fight _you so I can learns what I'm working with," he hummed as he cracked his knuckles, causing those still cognizant-enough to do so to pale horribly.

"Wait… WHAT?!" Jaune gawped as Brick started warming up, his muscles shifting like tectonic plates.

"Yes, I second that… _WHAT_!?" Ruby yelped with slack jaw.

"I said we were going to _fight_," Brick repeated, his clothes struggling to contain his massive muscles. "_Man _you guys are slow."

Weiss in response sputtered uncontrollably at _them _being called "slow".

"So… Who's first?" the monster of a man asked.

"Ummm-"

The next moment Jaune was punched in the stomach, the blond-haired teen sent screaming through the air _-both literally and metaphorically-_ before he hit the padded wall underneath the basketball rig at the far end of the room.

"Next!"

"C'MON! Nobody lives forever!" Nora shouted, rallying the others into action.

"YEAAAAAAAAAH!" the others roared in agreement, a stampede of feet sounding through the gym.

What _followed_ was an unadulterated slug-fest.

**Cue One Punch Man OST - THE HERO! (by Jam Project)**

The three leading members of the former Team DIRJ, not wanting to be shown up any more than they already had in the new term, especially after the complete and totally unmitigated "disaster" that was their _first _term, were the first to charge at Brick ahead of Nora and the posse she was rallying together.

As a _result, _they were the first to "die", each one on the receiving end of a mighty body blow carrying the force of a small vehicular impact that sent them sailing through the air above their peers' heads before hitting the ground with a deafening _***THUD***_, the sound causing some to lose heart; an opening Brick was more than giddy to take advantage of.

Russel, Dove, and Sky were quick to follow in the footsteps of Dominic, Ian, and Rudolph, each on the receiving end of similar vehicular-like body blows that sent them flying. It was only because of their own cool headedness that Cardin and Terrence alike were able to escape a similar fate, but only on the merit that they had held back to see just what Brick was capable of.

Suffice it to say, Brick looked like the sort of man who could level a small building; and even if he couldn't do it in "one punch", it still stood to reason that with enough time he could do with his fists what could be done with a wrecking ball. Which his fists could _also _be compared to.

Of course, holding back wasn't enough to save them from Brick's... _exuberance_, because the jolly giant of a man was quick to stomp towards whoever he thought needed "a good fisting" as he so uneloquently put it.

Rushing forward, Cardin put everything he had into uppercutting the man's chin, aiming for a TKO. However, because of the man's enormous stature, his ludicrous amount of muscle, the amount of hits he'd taken over the years, or any _combination _of these factors, what should've been a concussing blow was brushed off like a weak slap to the cheek, Cardin soon sailing through the air and joining Jaune at the far side of the room in a heap after hitting the padded wall.

While Terrence sidled into Brick's blind spot amidst the carnage, when Pyrrha looked up at the man, the redhead had episodic flashbacks to that dream she'd had prior to fighting Jack, the man's massive mountain of muscle causing a frightening sense of familiarity to well up inside her as the man loomed over her like a pending avalanche.

Brick's fist coming at her, the girl was quick to drop down low, the end of the girl's ponytail actually shorn slightly away at the tips by the gale-force power of his punch. Of course, Brick was smarter than he looked, because he'd hidden his other fist in the shadow of his first, striking Pyrrha with a speedy punch that bellied the man's massive, lumbering girth, sending her flying sidelong into Blake who had tried to discretely excuse herself from the exercise.

It went without saying that those plans were sufficiently dashed, the two landing in a tangle of limbs that could passively be considered erotic if not for the fact that everyone was getting "fisted" into unconsciousness.

Now, most acquainted with the first-years, Team RWBBY in particular, would've thought _Yang _of all people would take to this like a duck to water.

What _actually _transpired was... less than awe-inspiring.

"Rrrgh! Why! Can't! I! Hit! _YOU_?!" Yang raged as she flailed her arms.

"Hahahahahaha! You're funny," Brick chuckled as he held his massive, meaty hand atop Yang's head, the blond's swings failing to reach further past the man's own elbows, let alone reaching a body-shot.

"Oof. That's gonna leave a mark," Nora commented before the blond was sent sliding back-first across the floor a moment, coming to a stop next to Jaune.

"Imma punch you like a red-headed step-child," Brick said giddily as he approached his next target.

"And what if I say '_no_'?" the ginger asked aloud defiantly.

The punch she received was her answer.

"Ren, avenge meeeeeee!" Nora cried as she sailed through the air, landing back-first atop Yang.

_*SIIIIIIIGH*_ "The things I do for my friends," Ren sighed as he looked up at his instructor, the shadow of the man looming over him like the shadow of a mountain.

"Come on, kung fu kid, show me what you're made of," Brick taunted good-naturedly as he threw another mighty blow.

Ren for his part was able to dodge around the one-two punch like water around a rock, the teen weaving around the side of Brick's extended arm and striking out as several pressure points along the meaty limb. Taking a step or two back and expecting the man's arm to hang limply at his side, the next words that came out of the man's mouth caused the teen's heart to fall into the pit of his stomach.

"Heh heh. That _tickles_."

"Oh crapbaskets..." Ren groaned before he _too _was sent flying.

"Good heaven, he's swatting us down like _flies_!" Weiss yelped, fighting the trembling shiver trying to break out across her spine. "You know, if you were actually _conscious _right now, I might be a lot less scared," she said glancing at the comatose Jack off to the side, imagining him pulling _some _kind of "super move" out of his ass to win the day. Or something. _'Is it weird that I've started contemplating what_ Jack _would do in the face of adversity, instead of what _Winter _would do?_' she wondered to herself as the next lamb stepped up to the slaughter.

"HIYAAAAAAH!" Ruby cried as she aimed a fist at the man's kidney, hoping to bring him low like her dad and sister alike had taught her.

When her fist hit the aforementioned spot however, there was an uncomfortable cracking sound and Ruby squealed as she held an aching hand, pulsing with a throbbing pain as though she'd punched a brick wall.

"Huh, so _that's _where his nickname comes FROOOOOOOOOM!" the red-head cried as she was struck, sent higher and farther than her peers before her. "Ooooogh... Weiss... Avenge me..." Ruby gasped.

"No. That's okay. I'll just stay back here," Weiss said disinterestedly, examining her nails without even looking Ruby's way.

The next moment Terrence stepped in, quiet as the grave, and delivered a brutal axe handle between the man's shoulder blades while he was distracted, the blow carrying all the strength he'd cultivated over the past year behind it.

"Heh. That one actually _stung _a little."

It went about as well as everything else RWBBY, JNPR, CRDL, and DIRT threw their instructor's way, so suffice it to say, calling what had just transpired a _fight _was stretching it.

It'd be more-fitting to call it a 'quote/unquote "fight"', emphasis on the quotation marks and "quote/unquote" annotation.

Course, it wasn't _all _bad. There _was _victory to be found for at least _one _of them.

And all it took was a certain heiress getting out of her own head; at least in the metaphorical sense.

"Oop, looks like I missed one," Brick hummed as he started striding towards the wheelchair-bound Jack.

"Wait! Stop! He can't even fight back!" Ruby cried out from her place on the ground.

"Doesn't matter. The bad guys won't hesitate to punch you repeatedly in the face just 'cause you're down and out," Brick shrugged.

"Yang! Do something!"

"Can't... feel... my everything..."

"Blake?"

"Uuuuugh..."

"Don't you lay a _hand _on him!"

Interposed between Brick and Jack was Weiss, arms outstretched as she stood protectively in front of the vulnerable Faunus.

"Standing up to someone stronger than you you know you can't beat... Didn't really think this through, _did _you?" the giant of a man asked as he looked down at Weiss, his shadow looming large over her.

"Yeah? What _of _it?" the heiress demanded, eyes like steel as she held her ground..

"Heh heh... Good job. You pass," Brick chuckled as he laid a massive hand atop Weiss' head and ruffled her hair.

"Wait... _Really_?" the girl asked with wide eyes even as her knees threatened to buckle.

"Yep. Standing up for your friends doesn't need to be something you have to _think _about. Just do what your heart tells you," the man chuckled like a doting parent proud of their child. "Course, you can't really _do _that if your brain keeps telling you it's pointless. That's why it's so-important to go with your _gut _at times."

"So... Does that mean I win?" the heiress asked hopefully.

"Nope!"

The next moment, Weiss was flicked in the stomach with a single meaty digit, the heiress sent butt-first into Jack's lap, the sudden motion sending them both wheeling back towards the rear wall, Weiss screaming panickedly as she clutched at the Faunus' neck before they crashed into the back wall. Wheelchair rattling from the blow, the two bodies atop said chair were jostled from their seat and hit the floor, Weiss finding herself pinned beneath her Faunus teammate with their hips in a line, his nose buried in the crown of her hair.

"Ah, young love," Brick sighed as the heiress blushed uncontrollably at her current predicament.

_***NEW WORLD***_

At the conclusion's exercise, most-everyone was sprawled out across the ground, groaning in pain and/or stewing in defeat to varying degrees. Some were curled up on the floor in the fetal position clutching where they had been punched, while others had enough pain tolerance to at least sit upright, their Auras slowly soothing their wounds.

That Brick could hurt them even _through _their raised Aura was a feat unto itself, and a reminder that the quote/unquote "force field" did not make them "invincible".

The only ones even remotely "okay" were Weiss, Jack, and the new guy on the block, Terrence. Jack never actually being _touched _by Brick was a no-brainer for being "okay", whereas Weiss only got a finger-flick and had a relatively softer landing than the hard laminated floor. _Terrence_, like Jack, being at least a year older than the rest of the Freshman had an extra year of training on all of them until fate -read: Jack on a whim- selected him to receive a Callback and return to Beacon after being unable to make the cut the year prior.

In essence, when the gauntlet had been thrown at them, to some it was like a punch to the gut -metaphorically- while to others it was like being backed over atop by a bus.

At least after this, the first day would be over and they could rest.

"And now, before I let you out for the day, _extra credit_! Because that is something that teachers do I think!" Brick said enthusiastically as he drew out a plus-sized Scroll and typed in what was swiftly recognized as an RPL recall code.

_'Why am I even_ surprised _he plays fast-and-loose with his position?_' Weiss pondered critically.

Those that could still move looked up to the windows expecting a rocket-propelled locker to suddenly drop in on them, their imaginations going into over-drive as they contemplated what kind of larger-than-life weapon would even be _used _by the larger-than-life Brick, who had more muscles in one arm than most of them apiece had in their entire bodies.

However, after several seconds of nothing happening, those gathered began to wonder if anything was coming at _all_. Obviously a time-lag was to be expected whenever an RPL was called upon from outside Beacon grounds, but _within _Beacon itself, the time between recall and arrival was slated to be roughly within the span of a single minute. So for Brick's own RPL to not even _arrive _yet caused a few eyebrows to raise.

A few moments later and panicked cries could be heard from outside the gym, everyone's attention turning to the double doors as the sound of churning earth, crumbling masonry, upturned foliage, and panicked cries sounded about. The sound of upturned earth in _particular _growing louder, moments later the double doors burst open as a metallic gray… _something _was dragged, no, _pushed_, across the ground towards them. As lacquered floors were ruined beyond repair, the gathered students could only wince painfully at the destruction that was wrought as the object answering the recall finally finished its journey from start to finish.

Aforementioned object was an RPL, but unlike the students' single-width lockers, the _teachers _apparently had access to double-wide lockers closer in dimension to the standing supply closets found in the rear of civilian classrooms. The rockets on the bottom were roaring like any other RPL, yet for whatever reason the construct had completely failed to get airborne, instead plowing through the ground as it answered Brick's recall signal.

"Awww. Poor birdy couldn't _fly_," Nora whined as the double-wide RPL came to a stop.

"I… I don't get it… What am I looking at?" Pyrrha asked confusedly as Brick walked up to the flightless RPL and kicked it roughly in the side causing the doors to open before he reached in.

The moment Brick drew his weapon, the _why _of why Brick's RPL didn't fly in became blatantly obvious.

"Whoa _momma_…!" Nora awed as Brick beheld a massive mallet which was, in essence, nothing more than an engine block on a stick.

A legit _engine block_!

"I, am heavy weapons guy, and _this_, is my weapon…" Brick said holding the weapon aloft like one would a toy.

"Okay… So how does _extra credit _tie into this?" Weiss asked aloud.

"Easy," Brick replied. "If you can lift it, you get extra credit," the man replied as-casually as one would talking about the weather, the absurdity of his request completely lost on him.

" . . . I'm out," Weiss said lifting her hands in surrender, visibly backing away from the challenge.

"_I'm _not," Yang said with a smile on her face as she spat on her palms, rubbing them together as she strode forward with a confident swagger. "Extra credit, here I come."

"_That's _the spirit!" Brick whooped enthusiastically as he chucked the hammer her way, the wind knocked out of her as she was knocked onto her back with a loud _***THUD***_, Yang's Aura flickering as the floor creaked underneath her.

"Agh! Holy _crap _that's heavy!" Yang wheezed under the sudden weight.

"Lift with your _legs _Yang!" Ruby cried out from the spectator stands.

"My legs aren't really _helping _here!" Yang called back as she kicked out with her legs, the weight of the engine block hammer pressing down on her chest like the weight of an elephant.

"Don't worry, Yang! _I'll _save you!" Nora whooped as she similarly spat on her palms and rubbed them together before grasping the handle of the hammer and hefting it over her shoulder, only for the ginger to be pulled completely backwards and onto the floor, the engine block making a large indentation in lacquered floors.

"Oof, _that's _gotta smart," Cardin winced as the rest of his team relegated themselves to the bleachers.

"So… Guess it's just the four of us, huh?" Terrence hummed, his own team making for the bleachers.

"Yeah, guess it is," Cardin hummed in turn as he glanced around to see that only himself, Terrence, Yang, and Nora chose to take up Brick's extra credit challenge.

Then again, apart from Jack who was presently incapacitated due to what happened in first period, no-one else was really _built _for the challenge in question. Ruby might've had one of the largest weapons out of the Freshman class, but most of the swinging force came from the recoil of sniper rounds. Weiss, Blake, and Pyrrha similarly had builds more-inclined toward either speed or dexterity than raw physical power. As for Jaune, Ren, Russel, Dove, Sky, Dominic, Ian, and Rudolph, while all of them were fit in their own right, some moreso than others, they weren't really up to the task either.

"Rrrgh…! I've…! Got it!" Nora whooped as she held the massive engine block hammer above her head with both hands, only for the girl to begin listing haplessly to the side.

"Whoa there," Brick said palming the end of his mallet and righting the ginger with no visibly-existing effort. "A for effort, but your form could use a little work."

"_Now _you tell me…" Nora grumbled as she rested the hammer against her shoulder, bending her legs at the knees and spreading her stance. "There. How's this?"

"Extra credit!" the man grinned with a thumbs-up.

"Whoo!" Nora whooped as she tossed the massive mallet over her shoulder, their enormous teacher grasping it by the handle before it could make another massive dent in the ground.

"So, who's next?" the man asked casually.

"Me!" Yang said boldly as she strode forward. Brick resting the hammer on the ground, Yang took a deep breath before squaring her feet and grasping the mallet at the base of the block and near the pommel. Exhaling deeply, the girl's lilac eyes flashed to read before giving the engine block mallet a heave, slowly and steadily bringing the weapon up until she could hold it confidently at waist-level.

"Extra credit!"

"Man, what a workout," the blond sighed as she set the mallet down. "It's all yours, boys," she said wiping the sweat from her brow.

"So, you wanna go next?" Cardin asked.

"Please, by all means, after you," Terrence offered politely.

"Well, no time like the present," Cardin hummed as he grasped the handle of the weapon. His own mace was fairly heavy to be sure, but not nearly as-heavy as Brick's engine-block-on-a-stick. Still, Cardin was confident-enough in his own strength to give this shot at extra credit a go, so with all his strength he hefted the massive hammer. While able to bring it up to waist-level, his steadiness wasn't _nearly _as great as Yang's, but by no means insubstantial.

"Extra credit!" Brick whooped.

"Oh thank god…" Cardin sighed as he set the mallet down as-carefully as he could. "Well, good luck, new guy," he said giving the older boy a pat on the shoulder before rejoining his team.

"C'mon man, don't embarrass us!" Dominic called out.

"Put your back into it!" Ian added.

"Represent!" Rudolph shouted.

If Terrence was irked by their words when none of them even _attempted _this challenge, the older teen didn't let it show.

Grasping at the base of the head and pommel of the mallet, his muscles flexing, with surprisingly little effort apart from a loud grunt, Terrence hefted the large engine block mallet up into the air before bringing it to rest on his shoulder, showing barely any strain.

"Whoa…" Yang gawped.

"How the heck'd you _do _that?" Nora gawped.

"Pushups, situps, and _plenty_ of juice," the new guy said with a lopsided grin. "Too bad Jack's brain got fried. Would've loved to see him go all-out on this," he said setting the mallet down. "So, teach. How was that?"

"Extra-"

"BRIIIIICE!" an irate voice suddenly shrieked out.

"Who?" Brick asked aloud with owlish eyes. "Oh right, _me_," he realized.

The next moment a high-heeled shoe kicked the door in, an irate Glynda storming into the gym, staring down contemptuously at the ruined streak of floor as she stomped up to Brick.

"Brice Phoenix! What the _hell _have I told you about using your rocket-propelled locker when its weight capacity has been exceeded?!" the woman demanded angrily. "Do you not realize the damage your _idiocy _has wrought upon this campus!?" she asked as she pointed out the door, the ruined streak of earth and masonry visible in the backdrop. "I don't even know how you got your locker to even _respond _to your recall when it was so over-weight!"

"Hey, c'mon Glynda, don't be like that. Be a _pal_," the giant of a man said as he roughly clapped Glynda on the back, the woman sent screaming, both literally and metaphorically, through the air before the upper half of her body was put through a wall with a deafening crash.

" . . . "

" . . . "

" . . . "

"Brick! _Run_!" Yang cried after several moments' shocked silence.

"Wait… What?"

"The worst she can do is give us detention, now _run_!" the blond repeated, their teacher making a panicked sound like- "Ohcrap!" -before he did just that.

Thundering out of the room as-violently as he came, the top of Brick's head took a chunk out of the gym's double door frame, both of which were blasted clean off their hinges as the giant of a man barreled through them with the force of a runaway freight train.

As Brick's thunderous footsteps faded into the distance, the room went silent outside the sound of crumbling masonry around the hole Glynda had made, leaving the students alone with their thoughts until the silence was broken.

"So… _That _was a thing," Nora said aloud, leaving everyone else to wonder what the fuck had just happened.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**4****th**** Block in Beacon's second term is taught by Brice "Brick" Phoenix. "Brice" means "quick-moving, alert", which most boxers have to be, though his fighting style indicates no FORMAL training aside from being a fist-fighter. Phoenix is a famous mythical bird. Old English and Old French fenix, from Medieval Latin phenix, from Latin phoenix, from Greek phoinix, mythical bird of Arabia which flew to Egypt every 500 years to be reborn, also "the date" (fruit and tree), also "Phoenician," literally "purple-red," perhaps a foreign word (Egyptian has been suggested), or from phoinos "blood-red." Exact relation and order of the senses in Greek is unclear. The Vault Hunter's favourite colour is Blood Red.**  
**Admittedly, my Beta did most of the work on Brick's non-alias name, as well as the surnames of Lilith and Roland before, but he's never steered me wrong in the past and the thematic work is all very good. Of course it's not like I expect anyone to refer to Brick as anything **_**but **_**"Brick".**

**Moving on, the new Classes and Teachers have been established, so now we can go back to the Adventure and/or Slice-of-Life genre that RWBY was known for in its earlier seasons before things got... well... Stale. Stale's the only word I can use for it.**

**I'm not "rage quitting" RWBY, I just hope the next season will be better after two of which were filled with info dumps and sub-par fight scenes.**

**Anyway, hope to see you in the Review Column! And for those of you that don't know, I have a My Hero Academia story started as well in honor of the late and great Stan "The Man" Lee after his passing, so if you're a fan of MHA, and/or my writing in general, be sure to give it a read.**

**#shamelessplug**


	6. RA

**NeoNazo356: **Before we get to the FanMail Section (i.e. Review Reply Open Column), a short announcement unrelated to the story, but near and dear to me on a personal level. It's also time-sensitive, so that's part of the equation too.  
The other day on YouTube, I happened upon a video for a KickStarter project called **M.A.S.S. Builder, A Fully Customizable Mecha Action Game** by **sekaiproject**. It's exactly what it sounds like, a fully-customizable mecha action game where you can customize _everything _about your mecha. The endoskeleton, armor, color, decals, parts, weapons, etc. The amount of customization shown on the Demo, and bound to be available in the finished project, is set to be _insane_, the highest level of customization out of any game I've _ever_ played. If you like mecha games and/or customization, I'd say give this KickStarter a once-over. The shape of the mecha in-general resembles Gundam more than anything else, but considering Gundam are the "OG", it isn't too surprising that such a comparison could be made, which just makes it all the more fun.  
I myself am going for the $40 Pledge that'll get me the physical copy of the game; as plenty of other extra goodies. I normally stick to Console games, but with something like _this_, I'd be willing to make my foray into PC games. The deadline is **April 11 (2019) 12:00 PM CDT**, and as of this chapter being released on March 31st, the current amount pledged is **$69,490 **split between **1,832 **backers, well above the initial **$32,000 Goal**. The _last_ Stretch Goal, **$70,000,** will unlock Rex and Spider-Type base frames for customization, so I figure, the more the word is spread, the better the chance there is of the final Stretch Goal being met and the cash flow not tapering off before deadline.  
My piece said, we now move onto the aforementioned FanMail.

**Greywing44: **Oh...my...god. I didn't think Brick would be teaching anything! Ha! Oh, ohhhh I love this. And you nailed Brick to a t.  
I can't wait to see what you do with Mordecai. I wonder if he's teaching a stealth class or something? Maybe a shooting one?  
Are the only ones being crossed over the Borderlands one hunters? Or will the ones from pre sequal and 2 show up eventually?

**NeoNazo356: **Roland actually kind of answered your question in Chapter 5. At least if you read between the lines. I mean, I know that _Qrow_ is a teacher and all, but Mordecai's a worse drunk than _him_, even at his lowest point in the RWBY Canon; Mordecai would _not _be able to handle a wholesale teaching position, let alone get the kind of tenure that'd _let him _drink on-duty.  
As for characters from Borderlands 2 and Borderlands the Pre-Sequel... The groundwork is definitely _there_, it's just about finding the right _situation _to bring them in. Anyone specific you wanted to see more than the others?

_***NEW WORLD***_

_"God has a _sick _sense of humor."_

"Blake, who're you talking to?" Yang asked.

"No one. No one at all."

"Blake's probably just shocked that the boy she spent the night with is living down the hall from us now," Weiss hummed as she went over the day's material, compiling a list of reading material to stay ahead of the curve.

"How could this _happen_?" Blake asked aloud.

"Blake, don't you remember? Glynda explained it to us five _minutes_ ago," Ruby hummed. "I remember it like it was yesterday…"

"Ruby, that happened _today_," Weiss cut in.

"Well what is _today_, but _tomorrow's _'yesterday'?" Ruby asked matter-of-factly, causing the heiress to pause briefly. "Now, it was after class had ended. We were all coming back to our dorm when we saw a familiar person in the hallway…"

***Cue Xylophone Flashback SFX***

"Hello again!"

"V-V-V-Vincent?!" Blake gawped as they met in the dorm hallway after fourth period.

"Hello~" he greeted merrily.

"W-What are _you_ doing here?!" Blake cried.

"Moving in," the whitette replied, adjusting a cardboard box under his arm.

"Moving into _where_?"

"My _room_, of course," he said pointing to a door at the end of the hallway.

"Yeah, Blake, read the room," Nora scolded.

"You're the _last _person to be casting stones in that regard," Ren sighed.

"Wh-Why are you moving in?"

"Cause I need somewhere to live?" Vincent half-asked half-told. There was an underlying- "Duh." -in his tone, but if there was, he didn't let it show on his _face _at least.

"Because I _said _so, _that's _why," a new voice cut in.

"Professor Goodwitch!" the students chorused as they whirled around, their previous instructor holding several boxes of different dimension and weight aloft with her Semblance. The dexterity of such a feat alone was quite impressive.

"Students. This is Vincent Valentine. He will be your new Room Advisor when he isn't attending to other side-jobs across campus," the woman said curtly as she adjusted her glasses.

"Room Advisor?" Jaune asked.

"What for?" Pyrrha followed.

"After the recent… _upheaval_, between Jack and his initially-assigned teammates…" Glynda began tensely.

_"_That's _putting it mildly,"_ everyone muttered lowly.

"…It was decided that the current administration wasn't adequate for interpersonal problem-solving since this incident was only resolved by _student _initiative. For this reason, the Room Advisor's job will be to keep an eye on their neighbors and report any suspicious goings-on to their superiors; in his case, he will be reporting to _me_," Glynda said adjusting her glasses. "In the past there wasn't a need for the Hunter Course to have an RA on each floor, just the other curriculum, but obviously that has to change."

"Let's all get along, neighbors!" Vincent said chipperly, an infectious smile on his face.

"Ne… Neighbors…?" Blake quivered.

"Yes. Neighbors. Is that going to be a _problem_, Ms. Belladonna?" Glynda asked tersely as she adjusted her glasses.

"No ma'am! No problem at all!" Blake yelped suddenly.

"Good," the woman nodded. "Come along, Vincent. Once we get you moved in, there's more I need to orient you on."

"You got it," Vincent replied happily. "See you later, Blake! See you later all of Blake's friends!"

"Well isn't _he _sweet on you, eh, Blakey~?" Nora cooed as she nudged the ravenette in the ribs.

"Blake must be coming down with diabetes, because that boy's so _sweet_~" Yang giggled.

"Yang, you leave sweets _out_ of this," Ruby grumbled.

"Yes, Yang. Leave the sweets to Ruby's boyfriend," Weiss hummed.

"Ruby got a boyfriend _too_?!" Nora gawped.

"Don't act so _shocked _by that!" Ruby screeched self-consciously.

"Vincent is _not _my boyfriend!" Blake shrieked as she pointed down the hall.

"Hm? Did you need something?" the teen-in-questioned called out, poking his head out the door.

"No! Go back inside!"

"Young lady, I will _not _have you talk to your Room Advisor like that!" Glynda chastised.

"If he isn't your boyfriend, why are you acting so… _defensive~_?" Pyrrha asked good-naturedly.

"Well, other than me and Ren, and Jack who's like a brother to her, all the other guys in our class are a bunch of dicks, so it's understandable she'd want to outsource," Jaune hummed thoughtfully.

"Yes, I couldn't have put it any better myself," Pyrrha nodded.

_"What did I do to deserve this…?" _Blake thought as everyone ganged up on her.

***Cue Xylophone Flashback SFX***

"And _that's_ what happened," Ruby summarized as the re-telling ended.

"Ruby, I was being _rhetorical_," Blake grumbled.

"Well ex_cuse _me for not being good at reading social cues!" the adorable red-head whined.

_***NEW WORLD***_

A few hours later after everything had calmed down, while everyone had left to get dinner, Blake found an excuse to slip away and confront he who had been on her mind since his sudden and rather _jarring _reappearance.

During her time in the White Fang, all she'd ever seen of Humans was the very worst of them. However, as time went on, what she saw of the _Faunus_ grew darker and darker as well. After abandoning those she thought to be a group turned to the dark side, she learned there was an even _worse _enemy she _hadn't_ seen. And almost-immediately after that, she received an almost unending shower of acts of random kindness that turned her perception of the Human species completely on its head once again.

Suffice it to say, the utter ruination of her previous worldview, stacked atop the juxtaposition of human decency she'd borne witness to, left the girl _extremely _flustered, and seeing one half of that duality so-soon and so-unexpectedly only made her even _more _off-balance.

While what she had for Adam wasn't what one would consider a "conventional" romantic relationship, deep down she admired him very greatly, and maybe once upon a time she _did _love him… But the fact he was so-focused on The Cause, a cause to which she only learned the true meaning of _just-recently… _That zealous devotion to Faunus rights that bordered on obsession only served to drive a wedge between them, and was one of many things that finally cemented her decision to leave the White Fang altogether.

So suffice it to say, she was _far _from the mindset of wanting to pursue another romantic partner, and the only reason she was confronting him _now_ was so they could have a healthy, non-romantic relationship moving forward for his stay at Beacon.

After getting past her issues… Who knows?

_***Knock*Knock*Knock***_

_"Who is it?"_

"It's me, Blake. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

_"Sure. Let me unlock the door." __***Click* **_"Hey, Blake. What's up?" he asked in greeting.

"Do you mind if I come inside? I'd like to talk to you in private," she said as amber eyes darted left and right. Last thing she needed was someone getting the wrong idea.

"Sure, that's what the RA's here for," he said with a smile as he waved her inside.

Looking around, Blake noticed that the room was the same size as her own, it only _looked _larger because the furniture was only intended for a single occupant. Queen-sized bed, night stand, ceiling-high bookshelf, study desk, an old steamer trunk, a mini-fridge, coffee table and couches, and even a workshop for weapon maintenance. Other than that, there were a few cardboard boxes scattered throughout the room, still in the process of being unpacked.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" he asked taking a seat on the bed, going through a smaller box of odds and ends set between his feet.

"I… wanted to thank you for last night… You really got me out of a bind, so I wanted to say my thanks," she said, stalling for time as she tried to get her thoughts together.

"No problem. I was happy to help."

"Yeah… I appreciate it."

" . . . "

" . . . "

" . . . "

" . . . "

"Is that all you wanted to say?" Vincent asked after a couple moments of silence.

"_No_! I mean, no…" she said calming herself down. "What I meant to ask was… Am I not attractive?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Complete honesty…?" Blake groused aloud. "My pride got a little wounded when you didn't make a big thing out of that kiss, so I wanted to know the reason behind it," she admitted. _'I'm not vain like Weiss, but even _I_ take pride in my appearance,'_ she mused to herself.

"Why would I make a big deal out of it? Like you said, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing you didn't really think through. I'm not even sure what a kiss even _means_," he admitted shamelessly.

Were this an anime, the background behind Blake would've cracked like glass at the utterly mind-blowing revelation she was just subject to.

_'Of course he wouldn't make a big deal out of it. He doesn't have the context that'd allow him _to _make a big deal out of it!' _the raven-haired girl realized. _'Man, this amnesia's really hit him like a freight train,' _she said lifting up his bangs a bit, briefly exposing the scar on his forehead before she brushed his hair back down. "I'm… sorry I expected so much out of you."

"Hm?" Vincent hummed with a tilt of his head.

"Something I want to ask you… Do you like girls, or _boys_?" she asked aloud, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Blake then wondered if he remembered _that _much, or if he'd have to re-discover it.

"_Girls_, obviously. Girls are so much _prettier _than guys," Vincent answered with a nod.

"That… isn't necessarily what I meant."

"Ohhhhhh…" the whitette said with wide eyes. "Wait. Is this one of those _sex _things?" he asked, causing Blake to sputter. "Well, I mean, I guess I can say _objectively _whether or not a _guy _is attractive, but on a personal level, I won't be attrac_ted _to them the same way I'm attracted to girls. You get what I'm saying?"

"That's… actually a more-enlightened answer than I was expecting out of you," Blake admitted. "When'd your vocabulary get so big?"

"Glynda wanted me to know more words, so she asked me to skim a thesaurus whenever I had the time," he said gesturing to a pocket thesaurus on his nightstand.

"I see," Blake hummed, before realizing his hands had been far from idle as they talked. "By the way… What've you been looking at this entire time?" she asked pointing to the object he'd been turning over in his hands.

"Oh this? It's one of the things I had on my person when Old Man Wok found me bleeding on his garbage," Vincent said holding the item out for Blake to see.

The object in question looked like a circular walkie talkie with yellow casing and black accents with four buttons along the bottom and one on the side, the face of it bearing a black emblem with white trim and a white T in the middle. The device of course was far from pristine, as the outer casing was covered in cracks and dents with the smallest bit of melting, the antennae sticking out of the top busted in half. A moment later and the front plate popped open like a compact mirror, revealing a busted screen in the center.

"What _is _that?" Blake hummed as she looked the device over. Her time in the White Fang allowed her to spot military-grade plastics at a glance, and busted-up as it was, it was _definitely _made of military-grade material.

"Don't know. Some kind of _communicator _maybe," the whitette hummed as he held it up to his ear and shook it, before closing the lid and looking at the logo. "I keep thinking that if I hold onto all my old stuff, someday I'll be able to remember everything I forgot, but all I found out was that my arm was made by the same person."

"Your arm?" Blake hummed confusedly, the teen rolling up his sleeve to above the shoulder, revealing a similar emblem similar to that of the device but without the trim on the edge stenciled into the metal. "Yeah, that's _definitely _the same logo. And you're telling me you couldn't use _that _to figure out who you were?"

"Not in the slightest," Vincent said rolling his sleeve back down. "When Wok first found me, I had a torn-up outfit and a busted-up sword, but no ID or anything like that," he inclined his head toward the box at his feet, which he laid the walkie talkie-like device into before kicking it under his bed. "Wok, Glynda, and Ozpin think it might be better if I start focusing on the _present_, instead of a past I might never be able to get back. Given how-little I've found out about myself from my personal effects, I'm beginning to agree with that sentiment."

"I can understand Wok and Glynda, but what does _Ozpin _have to do with all this?"

"Oh, Ozpin's the one who gave me a job here after the old man brought me by for a visit. Apparently they're old friends or something, but Ozpin looks _way _younger than Wok."

"That's… good to know," Blake hummed. It seemed a little odd that a humble shopkeeper had personal ties to one of the most-influential men in the Kingdom, but maybe the two just went really far back and stayed in touch. "So… How do you like Beacon so far?" she asked.

All that stuff about him "focusing on the present" instead of "a past he might never be able to get back" was a bit too depressing for her tastes. Especially since it was something she could probably _never _be able to say- "I understand what you're going through." –to.

"Oh, it's been great!" Vincent said with a smile. "Admittedly, I only got part of the tour in before the mess hall needed an extra pair of hands and Glynda had to postpone, but from what I've seen of the campus so far, it's a _beautiful _grounds."

"I do admit, the school grounds _are _quite scenic," Blake said glancing out the window towards some of the old buildings in the distance. "If all you focus on is classes, it's easy to miss all the beautiful scenery and architecture off the beaten path."

"Yeah. The groundskeepers must work _really hard_ to keep everything looking nice," Vincent nodded in admiration as he glanced toward a colorful flowerbed in the distance. "I'm not really sure what I want to _do _in the future, but I figure if I make some more friends, walk around Beacon some more, it might come to me," he hummed enthusiastically.

"I'm really happy for you. It _would _be a shame if you spent the best years of your life behind a convenience store counter. No offense."

"None taken, and that's exactly why Wok pushed for me to start working here," Vincent said with a smile. "I'm still not sure about this RA thing I got assigned to, but I'll tackle it one day at a time, I suppose."

"Vincent, I've been meaning to ask… How can you be so _positive_ all the time?" Blake asked aloud. "I get that you don't really feel bummed out about memories you don't even _remember_, but there has to be more to it than just _that_."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… You're in a foreign land with no memories of your past, no way of knowing what kind of person you were, whether or not you'll be able to get those memories back, or what even caused you to lose your memories in the first place," Blake summarized. "How can you still smile like that when there's so much you don't know about yourself?"

"I'll admit…" he paused, wringing his hands. "Not knowing anything about the world around me, or even _myself _for that matter, I really _was _scared out of my mind when I first came to. Everything seemed so new and strange to me that I could hardly wrap my head around it all, and not being able to look back and know who I was, or how the past me would've responded to all this, it… It terrified me," he answered. "At first I felt so alone… so helpless… But… Old Man Wok took me in, he clothed me and fed me, even when there wasn't much I could offer in return. After I could stand on my own two feet, I wanted to repay the kindness he showed me, especially when he might not have much time left…" he said as the room grew silent. "For a while I was content to help him out for as long as he was still around for… but then he took me here to Beacon, wanting me to make friends so that even when he was gone, I wouldn't be left alone," he said as his somber expression slowly brightened. "With so many nice people around that care about me, and want me to be better, how _can't _I smile?" he asked, his eyes closed with a serene smile gracing his lips.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense," Blake nodded. "The world's a lot less scary when you have good friends at your side," she said smiling softly, thinking of her own friends, feeling like she could draw strength from them, even when they weren't around. "I'm glad for you, I really am."

"Yeah, I really am blessed," he said with a smile before his expression fell. "Hey Blake… Is this really okay?" he asked after a few moments. "For someone that can't give back to be given so much?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…" he said wringing his hands again. "I've been given so much by such wonderful people… But all around me there are people who have so little, and even still, others try to take what little they have away…"

" . . . You're thinking of those Faunus you helped last night, aren't you?"

**Cue Naruto OST - Sadness & Sorrow**

"Yeah…" he nodded. "I know the two of them are complete strangers, but I can't help but be worried _sick_ about them," he said clamping his eyes shut.

The next moment, Blake's own eyes of amber went wide as fat, ugly tears suddenly began streaming down the young man's face.

"How is it fair that someone like me is so blessed… while people with so little are hurting so much, even _now_…?" he sobbed, shoulders trembling. "I… I hate this feeling… This cold, ugly feeling _festering _inside of me…" he said clutching at his chest. _"What is this...? How do I make it stop…?"_ he whimpered as he bowed forward, a pained expression on his face like a knife was being driven into his heart.

"Guilt... What you're feeling is _guilt_," Blake clarified. "It's… something I'm pretty familiar with myself," she said reaching over to grab his trembling hands, the girl throwing her free hand across his back, drawing him into a gentle embrace.

At times he seemed so-mature, despite the amnesia he was suffering through, but at others, _because _of that amnesia, he was as innocent and vulnerable as a child.

Deep down _that _may've been why he could get her to let down her guard that much.

Because who could keep their guard up around such an honest, simple soul?

"I… haven't always done right by people. I've made mistakes, even _hurt _people, and I feel guilty about it every day. But…" she said reaching up and wiping the tears from his eyes, causing him to look up at her through tear-bogged eyes. "You can't let your guilt stop you from living… Can't let it stop you from moving forward. All you can really do… is have faith that everything will work out in the end."

It only took Blake a moment to realize she blurted out something idealistic like _Ruby _would've, and in a weird way, Vincent had a youthful innocence similar to Ruby's own. Without any sort of ego or bias, Blake didn't find it hard to imagine that Vincent and Ruby would probably share similar philosophies on how the world _should _be, instead of how it _is._

Of course, the sentiment was a bittersweet one, since his seeming purity of character came at cost of whomever he had once been.

And maybe that was why both halves of The Man with Two Souls struggled so much for control; because the alternative was a true death even if the body remained.

"Blake…" _*Sniff* _"What'd I ever do to deserve such a great friend like you?" he asked as he sat up, the previous fit of sadness bleeding out of his features.

"You were just yourself," Blake answered. "Sometimes… That's all it really takes," she said with a small smile.

**END OST**

_*Sniff* _"Thank you. I feel much better," he sniffed. "For some reason, my heart feels a lot clearer too."

"Well, that's what happens when you bare your soul to someone. All that weight you'd been holding up all by yourself… drifts away," she said with a soft smile. "Always remember… Whenever you feel hurt, or alone… don't hesitate to lean on your friends. As-corny as this might sound, friendship can help you endure just about anything."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Vincent replied. "You know, you're really easy to talk to," he said brightly.

"Is… Is that _so_?" Blake asked nervously, since from the perspective of her team it was quite the _opposite_.

_**"****I'll tell you what I've **_**been **_**telling you. The only one you're hurting by wearing that thing is **_**yourself**_**."**_

_'God, dammit, Jack. Even when you're a vegetable, you're _still_ fluttering around upstairs,' _Blake grumbled to herself as the older Faunus' words bounced around her head. "Twist my _arm_ why don't ya?"

"Hm? _Okay_," Vincent hummed with a confused shrug, his chromed hand clamping down around Blake's left arm.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"How the heck was _I _supposed to know you weren't talking to me?" Vincent asked a minute later as Blake nursed an ice pack on her bruised arm.

"Given your amnesia, I guess you really wouldn't," Blake answered as she flowed an extra bit of Aura into her arm, the bruise steadily beginning to vanish. It wouldn't do if her teammates got the wrong idea about the amnesiac ex-shopkeeper, let alone on his first day at Beacon, because of a misunderstanding _she'd _caused. "Remind me to get you a book about reading social cues. You and at _least _one other person I know would greatly benefit."

"Okay," Vincent nodded. " . . . Blake, I'd like to remind you that-"

"Not _now_!" Blake bit out, realizing she'd have to find that book sooner rather than later. "So… What's it like? Having this big room all to yourself?" she asked looking around. Compared to her own dorm, this space felt _enormous._

"Well, this _is _a bit nicer than my apartment, but I've only been here for a couple hours, so it's hard to say," he answered with a shrug.

"Yeah. The place _does _look a little bare," Blake hummed. _'Does having amnesia stop you from accumulating tons of worthless crap?' _she wondered, thinking back to how-cluttered Team RWBBY's room used to be before Jack came into the picture and they needed to redecorate. "A decoration or two wouldn't hurt. Maybe a potted plant or something."

"Ooh! I just remembered something!" Vincent said getting up from the bed.

"What?"

"Wok gave me a bunch of antiques before I moved out of the apartment, said they were taking up space in his own place and he wanted me to have something nice to furnish my _new _place," Vincent explained as he walked over to a large cardboard box stuffed to the brim with packing peanuts he had yet to unpack.

"Antiques, _huh_?" Blake hummed as she walked over. "Sure, I guess that _would _add a bit of class to this place," she said as she looked around. The closest thing to "class" in her room was the painting Weiss saw fit to bring with her; the candelabra she herself had brought counted too if you wanted to push the definition of "class". "So… What all did Wok give you?"

"Don't know. Let's find out," Vincent said with a smile as he enthusiastically dug into the packing peanuts, looking very much like the kid on Christmas morning digging into a tantalizing present.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Thanks for helping me set this all up. This went by _way_ faster with a friend around," Vincent hummed one move-in montage later, complete with musical score and timelapse. "_And _more fun!" he added brightly.

"I'm glad I could return the favor," Blake replied as she returned his smile, looking up at the antiques scattered across the room and feeling quite satisfied with the new furnishings' placement.

Dangling from a hook above the bed on a length of braided twine was a brass rhombus-shaped pendant with a faceted six-sided ruby in the center. Angled in such a way as to resemble an eye, the edges of the rhombus and the ruby itself had black lining, with two small bars connected to thin crescent pieces of metal connected to the sides and bottom of the pendant.

Situated atop a stack of stationary on the desk was a turquoise-colored rabbit with adorable sapphire eyes. The statuette, large enough for a person to hold comfortably in one hand but small enough you didn't need _two_, was rounded into an egg-like shape, the four limbs, ears, chin, and tail tucked into the body, making for the perfect paperweight.

Nestled atop the bookcase and more intricately-designed than what was now serving as the paperweight was a brass-colored statuette of a big cat crouching. Its eyes had two rounded rubies set into them, its feet were squared, its hind legs rounded with spiral engravings, and a curving tail arcing up from the rear. It was far from realistic, but then-again, art _was _meant to be subjective, and not model-accurate.

Situated on the nightstand next to the bed was what appeared to be an old Chinese comb. The base composed of lacquered wood with a small amount of gold ornamentation, attached to the bottom of the base was a curved piece of wood, whereas the five teeth of said comb looked more like fangs, brownish-green in color with bevels that made it look far too unwieldy for anything more than parting hair in one direction or the other.

The last item to be formally incorporated into the room's décor above the desk was a goldish-bronze scimitar with a rectangular black guard featuring small crooks with brass trim, a red rectangle with goldish-bronze lining, a simple grip, and a golden-bronze crescent-shaped pommel with a red tassel dangling from the end. The _blade _however made it clear that the blade was _not _meant to be used as a conventional weapon; thinner at the base than in the middle, a curved bevel was cut out of the forward half of the blade, the rear of it divided into two curved halves meeting in a point, a tear-shaped hole resting near the tip of the blade. The ornamentation on the blade itself was quite simple, an engraved diamond shape at the base of the blade which would serve only to weaken it, and a long black line on each side of the blade ending in a small spiral.

"All we've got left is this antique coin, and this weirdly-shaped pauldron," Vincent said holding up the last two items, nestled in the bottom of the box beneath everything else.

Aforementioned coin was quite a bit larger than a quarter, colored red with golden trim and rectangular patterns symmetrically spread throughout, radiating from a rectangular hole in the center. It looked nothing like any kind of currency Blake had ever seen, so maybe it was meant to be a commemorative item.

Aforementioned "weirdly-shaped pauldron" had a highly irregular shape reminiscent of a bird's skull with a crooked hook-like beak, the only real ornamentation being a silver fin jutting out the top and a similar band of metal attached to where the lower jaw was. However, the pauldron itself was so small it didn't look like it would protect much of _anything_, once again leading Blake to believe it was meant to be an artistic piece rather than an actual functioning piece of armor.

"Hmmm… You have any _string_?" Blake groused as she looked at the old coin.

" . . . Well _that _sounds like an odd thing to ask for," Vincent shrugged after a moment.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Blake admitted. String wasn't something you just _had _on you unless you used it on a frequent basis. "Wait right here. I'll be right back."

"Okay, see you soon," Vincent hummed as Blake vacated the premises. Bouncing on his heels and whistling a tune, the white-haired teen was only left alone for a single minute before Blake rushed back into the room, a plastic case with a clear lid in her hands. Held within said case were a multitude of rolled-up ribbons of varying width, all the same glossy shade of black as the ribbon in her hair. "Ribbons? You certainly have a _lot _of them," he hummed, counting more than a dozen rolls.

"I like to keep backups on hand," Blake hummed. "I have one attached to my weapon too, so they get worn out pretty quickly when I'm out in the field."

"I see," Vincent hummed with a nod. "Still though, why bring the entire _stash?_"

" . . . Maybe I felt like showing off to a good friend," Blake answered awkwardly after a minute.

" . . . Sounds like as good an explanation as _any_," Vincent nodded as Blake set the box down on her desk, rifling through her collection of ribbons until she found the roll with the thinnest width, followed by a measuring tape. Walking over to him, the girl formed a loop with the measuring tape around his neck, adjusting it until she found a length she was comfortable with, and went back to the desk. Cutting the length of the ribbon she was looking for, the girl looped it through the center of the red-and-gold coin in a Lanyard hitch, forming- "A _pendant_?"

"Don't you like it?" Blake asked nervously.

"Of course I like it. It's way awesome!" Vincent said with a smile, eagerly holding out his hands. The moment the aforementioned coin was returned, the teen eagerly slipped it around his neck, the ebony band a stark contrast to his snow-white hair as he rested the now-pendant in the middle of his chest. "I didn't know you were into arts and crafts. You're really _good _at this."

"Just a few decorative knots and ribbons," Blake admitted, blushing a little at the praise.

"Well, if you ever have some free time on your hands, I'd love to learn what you can do with a bit of rope," Vincent said with a smile.

Of course, the way he'd _worded _it, at the mention of _rope_ a rather _embarrassing _set of hobbyistic memories appeared in the forefront of her mind, the girl whirling around to hide her blushing face as she imagined Vincent in certain… _situations _after being on the receiving end of aforementioned rope.

_'Dammit, Blake! Keep your shit together! You just _met _this guy!' _the girl berated herself as she tried to clear her thoughts. With just _what _was going through her head at the moment, it'd be impossible to face him with a straight face. Especially since he obviously failed to recognize certain… _connotations _rope could be used for other than arts and crafts.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So where do you think Blake ran off to?" Ruby asked. "I didn't see her at dinner."

"Oh… _I _might have an idea where she went~" Yang said waggling her brow as Team RWBBY looked down the hall.

"Where might that be?" Jack asked, having returned to full cognizance halfway through their meal; most of which they spend debriefing him on everything he'd missed after their… _altercation _with their new homeroom teacher.

"Speak of the devil and she shall appear," Weiss hummed as Blake stepped out of aforementioned room on the far end of the hall.

"Thank you for letting me bend your ear. It really helped clear my head," Blake said, giving a small bow of thanks.

"Hey, no problem. That's basically my whole job description. Bending an ear and helping people out," Vincent waved off with a smile. "Anyhow, you all have classes tomorrow, so you should probably get to bed. A good night's sleep is the most-important thing for a growing girl. And boys. It's equally important for _both _genders," he tacked on before disappearing back into his room.

"I'll keep that in mind," Blake said with a smile. Turning back toward her own dorm, the girl froze mid-step as a pair of knowing lilac eyes locked with her own from down the hall, aforementioned blond smirking like the cat that ate the canary as Blake begrudgingly made her way toward them.

Every other door on that end of the hall was _locked _after all.

"So Blake, have a bit of _fun _while we were out of your hair~?" Yang asked with an eyebrow waggle.

"Nah, Blake doesn't seem to be _glowing _enough for that to be the case," Jack shrugged dismissively.

"Not the way _I _would've put it, but you're right, the two of us talked. And _nothing else_," Blake said flatly. The next moment she was about to brush them off, get in some quiet reading time before bed, but memories of the conversation she'd had minutes ago made her reconsider. "Hey… Yang?"

"Yeah?" the blond asked, unused to the bookish girl actually _initiating _a conversation.

"So… If this doesn't sound _weird_… would you… maybe like to get a drink later? Hit up a club?" Blake offered. Her voice was strained, evident she was stepping out of her comfort zone, but at the very least she was _trying _to open up to her friends.

She'd be a bit of a _hypocrite_ if she didn't.

" . . . Wait, are you for _real_?" Yang gawped, doubting if she heard what Blake said right. "Holy shit! One day living here and the RA already has you opening up this _much_?" the blond awed. "Man, we should've gotten an RA up here _sooner_, because this is _progress_!"

"I'm surprised you didn't make a 'he sure works _fast_' joke," Jack chuckled.

" . . . Dammit! You're right! That was the perfect setup and I blew it!" the blond realized. "Hey, think we could step back and do that scene over?"

"Real life has no re-takes," Blake said curtly as she walked in, leaving the blond to moan at missed opportunities.


	7. The Puma

**NeoNazo356:** I _know _I'm posting this on April Fool's, but it is _not _a gag chapter; at least not explicitly. It's actually part of the Giant-Slayer Fanon, but because of the _Humor_ undertone, I'm posting it on April Fool's. It's one of the rare opportunities where I have a Holiday chapter complete on-time for the actual holiday IRL. I tried that with my Teen Titans Christmas Special, but I don't think it was point-for-point due to either delays or scheduling conflicts.  
Moving on, onto the fanmail!

**Oblivious IJ:** He's alive! Ok next!  
... just figured out it's Vincent from FF7... yeh

**NeoNazo356: **Yes, Jack is still alive. He's bounced back from relatively-worse before, I just needed him out of the picture for a while so I could introduce the idea that the plot _can _move along without his direct involvement. It's why I'm giving characters like Arthur and Vincent more prominence as the story moves along.  
Yeah... No... The Vincent in this story isn't Vincent Valentine from FF7, in his character origin that's purely coincidence that he has the same name, and a running joke between those that _do _know. _This _Vincent is a white-haired teenager with a "robot arm". In FF7, _that _Vincent is a six-foot-tall vampire-like man with black hair clad in red like Alucard from Hellsing.  
I've gone to great lengths to delineate them from one another. Just though that point needed be said.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Even though the first morning back in session had been a complete, unmitigated disaster, everything afterwards had gone relatively well. The teachers were nice _-barring one exception-_, the new classes seemed exciting _-barring one_ terrifying _exception_-, he met a nice guy he could possibly expand his social circle with _-who seemed about as-clutzy as_ he _was_-, and the icing on the cake was that after the verbal lashing in first period, Jack hadn't said anything mean about him afterwards.

Sure, the guy was basically a _vegetable _after Dr. Stein worked him over, but he'd take the win where he could.

Of course, not all good things could last forever. Jack "came to" in the middle of dinner, so it was probably "business as usual".

Still, didn't mean he couldn't appreciate the peace and quiet while it lasted.

The sun setting in the distance and dinner resting comfortably in his stomach, Jaune decided to take the rare lull in action and sit down with some of the X-Ray & Vav comics he'd picked up since coming to Beacon. Even if it was a little juvenile, one of his favorite past times was inserting himself into the pages, imagining how things would play out if the legendary duo was a _trio_.

As he was about to peel open the most-recent cover however, his Scroll buzzed signaling he'd received a text. Popping his Scroll open, Jaune was greeted by a single solitary word that caused a knot of dread to form as a sense of déjà vu washed over him.

SOON

_'Well… At least he didn't include _nightmare _fuel this time,'_ Jaune thought with a relieved sigh as he set the Scroll down, only for it to buzz anew. _'Oh god… Please don't tell me he can read my thoughts,'_ he thought with an audible gulp as he opened his Scroll once more, tempering himself for what might await him.

Jaune Arc. Gather your equipment and get to the Third Airfield on the double.

To anyone that knew Jaune had asked Jack to _coach _him, the message seemed innocent-enough at a glance, if not a bit _weird _when one considered that "lights out" would be soon upon them.

However, to Jaune _himself_, he couldn't help but imagine the Faunus cackling like some kind of demon lord as he composed the message, intent on instilling as much fear as he possibly could.

**"As if basting a turkey."**

**"Which I will then proceed to have sex with."**

**"That's right." **

**"I'm going to FUCK the fear turkey."**

**"Follow me on Twitter at TheCrimsonFckr!"**

**"Sincerely-"**

**Alucard!? The fuck?!**

**"What, you think I'm just gonna let those Blue vs Red dipshits have all the fun."**

**It's 'Red vs Blue'.**

**" . . . Well it just sounds _dumb_ the way _you _say it."**

**Get out.**

_'Aaand… he used my last name,' _Jaune gulped. The only people that used his _last _name were his parents or teachers back at Orleans High, and none of those occurrences had ended very well for him, so why would _this _be any different?

"Jaune? Where are you going?" Pyrrha asked, looking up from her own literature as Jaune got dressed.

"Oh uh, nowhere special. Just… running an _errand_, that's all," Jaune deflected as-smoothly as he was able.

"Wearing full armor?" the red-head questioned with a raised brow.

" . . . Bye!"

The next moment, Jaune whisked himself away as fast as his feet could carry him.

" . . . " Pyrrha opened her mouth to speak up, only to clamp it shut, sighing tiredly as she laid back in her bed.

"You still bummed that Jaune made Jack his trainer and not you?" Nora asked, picking up on the cues in a rare moment of clarity.

" . . . Only a little," Pyrrha sighed.

"Admitting you have a problem is the first step in overcoming it," Ren said thoughtfully as he read from his book.

"Ren, I'm not a _drug addict_," the red-head pouted.

"I beg to _diiifferrrrrrrrr~_" Nora sung, causing the red-head to sigh.

If even _Nora _of all people could see she was crushing on Jaune, maybe she hadn't been as discrete as she'd thought.

**_*NEW WORLD*_**

In actuality, Beacon had _three _airfields, though you'd only ever know it by looking down at them from above.

The one that everyone had disembarked from for Initiation was Airfield One, which was obviously the largest of the three and the first that airships would touch down on after disembarking from Vale. The three airfields, Airfield Two on the left and Airfield Three on the right when looking at Beacon from the west, were joined together on a branching path that gave Beacon the freedom to let more ships moor than other skyship ports not built at the top of a cliff. However, the reason Airfields Two and Three were delegated to secondary and tertiary roles respectively was purely because there was greater walking distance between them and the Beacon grounds proper.

As-asinine a reason as any, but it allowed the secondary and tertiary airfields to become ample real estate for meeting grounds between students. Not necessarily for meetings of the more _intimate _variety, but a good open spot to have a picnic or merely to sunbathe when an influx of airships didn't draft them into active use.

As Jaune made his way to the designated meeting place, he had to wonder- "How the hell does Jack still have energy after Dr. Stein put him through the _ringer_ like that?"

"I don't know. Why don't we ask him?"

"Aaagh!" Jaune yelped, the blond nearly jumping out of his skin at the voice that came from just over his shoulder. "What the hell- How'd you get behind me like that? I could've _sworn _there wasn't anything behind me a minute ago."

"You've got a blind spot the size of a city _bus_," Jack deadpanned. "Honestly, if I were a Grimm on a bender, you'd be a before-dinner snack right about now. That or a chew toy."

"Nice to know you're still so wonderfully honest," Jaune grumbled. "So… Jack… Why am I here?"

"Well, when a man and a woman love one another _very much_-"

"I don't mean metaphysically, I mean why am I here, out on the third airfield, in the middle of the night?"

Even _his _patience knew bounds.

"Take a wild guess," Jack said crossing his arms, affixing him with a cross look.

"This is about making you lie to my-"

"This is about making me lie to your sister, yes," Jack finished.

_'Knew that was gonna come back to haunt me. Just didn't think it'd be so soon,' _Jaune sighed. "So uh… This isn't the part of the movie where you kill me because I _wronged _you… Is it?" he asked nervously.

"Not yet. If you ever _fuck me_, then yeah you're a dead man, but for the time being, no, I didn't drag you out here so I could kill you. Too much work for too little gain."

"Oh… That's good… I think," Jaune let out a relieved sigh. "So uh… Why _am _I here?"

"Oh…" Jack said as his eyes glinted to golden-amber. "You're going to help me settle a little _bet_," he said slowly stalking towards the blond, Jaune now backing away from a pair of menacing eyes that seemed to glow in the dark.

"A b-b-b-bet?" Jaune asked nervously as he backed away, the sound of rushing water and the misty air at his back telling him he was getting steadily closer to the cliff at the front of the school. "L-L-Like what?"

"Just the answer to an age-old question," Jack answered as his left hand went to the blond's shoulder, the blood in Jaune's body chilling as he felt claws digging into his skin through his hoodie. "Does that thing kinda look like a big cat to you?" Jack asked as he inclined his head to something behind him, a large military-grade vehicle helmed by a familiar red-head who was neither Ruby, Pyrrha, or Nora sitting in the driver's seat.

How Jaune failed to notice something like that until just-then, he'd never know.

"Wh-Whu…?" Jaune gaped dumbly as he beheld the ATV, almost missing the tug on his shoulder straps as a large towing hook was put in place. Following the military-grade towing cable linking him to the winch on the front of the Warthog, then glancing over his shoulder to the empty air at his back, the color drained from his face as he mechanically inclined his head back towards Jack. "J-J-J-J-Jack! Please! You can't do this! This is _madness_!"

"Madness? No... Not madness... This… is… BEACOOON!" Jack said as he _-You saw this coming from a _mile _away don't pretend you didn't!- _Sparta kicked Jaune over the side of the cliff.

Elsewhere across Beacon, many a student looked up in their dorms and said- "Some girl's in trouble!" –in response to the shriek that filled the evening air.

The military-grade reinforced steel cable chewed up the grass and dirt as the blond fell further and further down until eventually, the line grew taut. Jack looked over the side to see that Jaune was holding onto the cable for dear life, and by the smell of things, had wet himself on the way down.

A natural response all things considered.

"So… You get the memo?"

"Yes, Jack! I got the memo!"

"I think he got the memo."

Deciding that Jaune _had-in-fact _gotten said memo, Jack whirled on his heel and followed the tow cable back to its source, the present driver clad in casual clothing that made his silhouette a lot less bulky than with full armor.

"There really isn't anything quite like watching a plan come together, is there Cardin?" Jack said leaning against the hood of the Warthog.

"No there isn't," Cardin said as he nervously drummed his fingers on the wheel.

"Relax, Cardin. _You _haven't done anything recently to earn my ire."

"R-Right. Of course not," Cardin replied nervously. "So uh… Thanks for supervising while I work on a stick shift. That was cool of you. _If a bit random…_" he trailed off.

"No problem, man. Happy to help. Sorry I dragged you out in the middle of the night, but I wanted to get this little detail hashed out before too much time passed," Jack explained. "Didn't want Jauney-boy thinking he was in the _clear _now did we?"

"No, I guess not," Cardin answered, nodding in understanding since Jack had explained his reasoning for doing this. If _he'd _been forced to compromise on his beliefs to cover someone else's ass, he'd be pretty testy too. "You uh… You think he'll be okay down there?"

"As long as he doesn't do something monumentally stupid like remove the hook from his shoulder strap, he should be fine even _if _he falls again."

"Thank god!" _*Gasp* _"I made it," Jaune gasped as he pulled himself into view a minute later.

"Cardin."

"Yes _*gulp* _sir?" the red-head asked from the front seat of the Warthog.

"Give the line a little more slack," Jack said plainly. "I'm still in the mood for a little _fly _fishing."

"Oh you've _got _to be kidding meEEEEEEEEE!" Jaune squealed as the line from the winch was let out, sending the blond plummeting over the side of the cliff once again.

"Hssssss. _Aaaaaaaaahhhhh… _Sweet _sweet _catharsis," Jack sighed wistfully as the blond disappeared from view.

"Um… What did I just witness?" Cardin asked trying to catch up.

"That, my friend, was revenge. Sweet, _sweet_ revenge. And you know what they say about _revenge_, don't you?"

"It's a dish best served _hot_?"

"I was going to say- 'It's a dish best served _cliffside_.' -, but _hot _works too," Jack said with a small smile on his face as he watched Jaune struggle with what was contextually an ordinary _rope climb_. At least if all the grunting, panting, and wheezing was anything to go by. "Wouldn't you say this is _much _more satisfying than slapping his books out of his hands like a grade schooler?"

"Honestly?" Cardin asked as he shifted in his seat. "I have no idea _what _to say."

"My man," Jack said with a smile as he hopped into the passenger seat before propping his feet up on the dash.

"You… _*PANT* _son… _*WHEEZE* _of a… _*GASP* _bitch!" Jaune yelped angrily as he pulled himself over the side of the cliff a few minutes later.

"One: You get a pass. Two: I _know _you are but what am _I_?" Jack asked with an ear to ear grin as he nudged the lever for the towing winch once more. Jaune, having twice now made the mistake of holding onto the rope instead of the edge of the cliff, was once more sent plummeting into the abyss. "Hey Cardin, I think some girl's in trouble," the Faunus chuckled.

"Meh. It was funnier the first time," Cardin shrugged as he popped open a can of soda. "This can_not _be legal," he said idly as he took a sip.

"It is if you have a waiiiiveeeeeer~" Jack sung in a sing-song tone as he held up a laminated piece of paper, both his and Jaune's signatures slapped prominently on the bottom line.

"So…" Cardin said as he held up his Scroll-Light to the paper and gave it a once-over. "You can basically do _whatever you want _to him… and he can't say shit because he _literally _signed on for this?"

"That _is _his signature on the bottom, yes," Jack nodded. "Have a witness too."

"Pyrrha _Nikos_?" Cardin asked looking at the third signature. "How the hell did you get _her _of all people to consent to this? I figured out of anyone at Beacon, _she'd _be the one to want to 'sheathe his sword'. If you catch my meaning," he said making the obligatory motion with his hand.

"Hey, Big Red isn't just some starry-eyed middle-schooler," Jack said with a shrug. "She actually recognizes, at least _now_, at least, that while the rest of _us _worked our entire lives to get strong enough to come here," he said pointing a finger between himself and Cardin, "that _Jauney-boy _screaming his nuts off got a free ride. Did you know the guy didn't know what Aura was _until _he got to Beacon?"

"For real?" Cardin gawped with raised brows. "How the hell'd he survive the _catapult_?" he then asked incredulously.

"_He_ didn't. _Pyrrha_ speared him to the side of a tree and saved the forest floor from being painted a really ugly color."

"Wow, no _wonder _I beat him so easily," Cardin marveled as Jaune came up over the side of the cliff, the red-head nudging the lever once more and sending him over the side. "But… wait, does this mean _I'm _weak too?"

"In context? No, you're actually pretty strong," Jack said with a shake of his head. "It's just that _this _year, the Freshmen class is stocked up to the nine irons with prodigies from the world over. You and your team just so happened to be the _baseline _is all. Nothing wrong with _that_," he explained. "Plus, _your _Team isn't bottom-of-the-ladder. _That _prestigious honor belongs to my former Team, who will now be referred to as _Dirt_, heheheheh."

When life gives you an inch, you take a mile, and when Ozpin asked his recommendation on who to give a callback so his former team wouldn't be one short, he took _all _the miles.

"Well… when you put it _that _way, I don't really feel so bad," Cardin shrugged as he propped his feet up on the dash. "Hey Jack?"

"Yeah, Cardin?"

"Where'd you get the Warthog?" he asked honestly.

"Shhhhhh," Jack said raising his finger to his lips. "Just _enjoy _the moment," he said flipping a very familiar lever as a splash of yellow appeared before him.

"aaaAAAAAAAaaaaahhh!"

"_Glor_ious," Jack said popping open a can of soda.

"You know… in a weird way… this _is _more satisfying," Cardin hummed taking a sip a few moments later.

"Amen to that," Jack replied, the two raising their beverages for a toast.

"_Jack Braxton! When I get up there, I will-"_

"Whoops!"

**_*Click*_**

"aaaAAAAAAAaaaaahhh!"

"When do you think we'll run out of line?" Cardin wondered.

"No idea. Until then, let's just enjoy the free show," Jack chuckled, that chuckle growing deeper and darker until it devolved into full-blown maniacal laughter.

" . . . You _scare _me, man."

"Mwahahaha!"

" . . . At least _I'm _not the one you're pissed at," Cardin conceded.

"By the way," Jack cut out of his laughter. "Where's the rest of your team?"

"They bailed on tonight's outing because you frighten them."

"Well that _is _the sort of reputation I'm going for," Jack said with a shrug.

"Somehow… I can respect that," Cardin admitted, taking another sip from his drink. As far as guy-time went, sending a screaming blond plummeting over the side of a cliff repeatedly on the end of a hydraulic winch… was probably going to be one of the more _normal _things he'd do with Jack Braxton as a friend.

Not that he ever thought he'd be doing something like _that _in his school days.

Still, at least things would never be _boring_. That was a plus.

And hey, knowing you weren't _the _bottom of the totem pole anymore was an even _bigger _plus.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**AN:  
Given Ozpin catapaulted everyone off a freakin' **_**cliff **_**into a monster-filled forest with no hope of rescue, this **_**cannot **_**be as bad as what'd been done to Jaune early in the ****RWBY**** Canon.**

**Not only is this for the sake of Continuity between ****New World**** and its prequel, but it's also a ****Red vs Blue**** reference I just couldn't pass up. Especially since it's now on its 17****th**** season! I just **_**had **_**to celebrate the coming of ****Red vs Blue: Singularity**** in my own special way, even if it's delayed a few episodes into the new season. I was honestly frightened it'd be a "hard reboot" kinda deal like the **Flashpoint Paradox**, but I'm glad the events of the "Pizza Quest" are still relevant.  
**

**As for the Hellsing Abridged reference... Readers have been asking for one of those for a while, so I managed to deliver after finding just the right spot to stick it in.**

"Oh myyyyy~"

DAMNIT TAKEI!


	8. Fateful Encounter PART 1

**Guest: **:Ha! Oh god.  
I gotta admit when I saw the title, I thought youd put an actual puma in there, not do the reference to the warthog but this works. Chapter felt a little rushed to me, and as much as I love a little Jaune torture, it felt like you just slapped it in there for filler.  
It's still frikkin hilarious though.  
Anywayyyyy, I suggest Genlock references! Nothing big, I just like the show.  
I can't wait for next chapter! I hope we finally get to the actual canon plot, can't wait for the twisted s*** that comes. You need any help don't be afraid to ask.

**NeoNazo356:** Glad you liked the chapter, and more than that, that you don't get all butt-hurt over a little torment. Contextually, Chapter 7 was meant to go somewhere at the end of Chapter 6, but I felt like it would've detracted from the narrative of "RA", so I decided to keep it separate. As for gen:LOCK... I'll look into it, but since Remnant's _robotics _technology is severely behind gen:LOCK's version of Earth, any references won't be 1:1, meaning no Vanguard, no Union, and most-importantly, no Mindframe or Holon technology. The "Aura Transmission" tech that Ozpin uses at the end of Volume 3 on Amber and Pyrrha is contextually a step in the right direction, but we're talking the difference between a Soul and a "decanted human mind", the latter of which would be easier to "contain" in hardware.  
As for the Canon... The Timeskip that separates the end of Jaunedice from "Black and White" and "The Stray" will largely be filled in by New World, so while we won't be tackling Volumes 4-6 any time soon, elements of future arcs will be incorporated, but with major changes to the end of Volume 3 as I'd explained before.

**Greywing44: **Ahh my email made me go out of order!  
Gaige I can see as a teacher since she has a crazy iq. Or a student hunter who's weapon is regular guns and deathtrap. Axton is her father and rival oF Roland due to their similar fighting styles.  
Zero, high profile assassin and bro of Jack during his white fang days. Jack thinks his hikus are cool.  
Salvador...Obviously a merc like he usually is. And crazy durable. Like can take a punch from Tsunade and get up without a scratch.  
If you wanna know more, Pm me! Gotta go bye!

**NeoNazo356:** Gaige is presently too young to be a teacher, but I might have her make an appearance during the Vytal Festival. Not necessarily _in _the festival, but Atlas has a huge hard-on for robots, so Gaige's tech might get her some clout; especially since money can't buy talent, at least not in Atlas as I interpret it. As for Axton, if anything, he'd still be a mercenary for the Dahl company.  
Zer0 I could easily see being an assassin that Jack had met once or twice, and while Jack might not be _annoyed _by the haiku, I feel he'd be more-able to "tolerate" them in the ways that most "philistines" cannot due to the "cooling off" he did in Remnant-356's iteration of Skyrim.  
Salvador I could definitely see being a Merc, though tanking a punch from someone _like _Tsunade I have a hard time believing, since power scales differently between Borderlands and Naruto.

**KitsuneDragon:** Well Brick is an endearing guy, I'll admit. Funny with having the F grade legitimately burn Weiss on contact and the imagery with Yang trying to punch Brick but was being held back by a hand on the hand. Classic.  
A bit of confusion on where you had Brick "hide his second fist in the shadow of the first" when he punched Yang. That doesn't really make much sense from a technique nor an imagery point of view. That sort of description implies that one of Bricks arms was directly underneath the other and when doing a two punch combo, that's literally impossible.

**NeoNazo356:** Brick might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but yeah, I always had a lot of fun around him in BL2. As for Weiss' face-burning, that in of itself is a reference from the 90s because I was feeling nostalgic about the good old days. As for Yang's situation, I thought back to that one scene in Rush Hour 3 where Carter was fighting that "too damn big" Chinaman, and yeah, that was the kind of vibe I was going for.  
As for Brike hiding his second fist "in the shadow of the first", it was meant as a metaphor. Brick's arms are so large that if you're even _remotely _focused on the "one", the "two" of the "one, two" can be easily overlooked. If anything, Brick's arm "obstructed the view" of the other.

**skinnydude911: **I thought for sure we would've had a good Puma Warthog RVB joke in this, but I'm gladly wrong there. This story is getting very good man, keep up the good work.  
Also forgot to leave a review last chapter... you sneaky son of a b#tch... those "antiques" in Vincent's room, those were Shen Gon Wu from Xiaolin Showdown. Bravo man  
I'm also quite surprised by the fact that for the new teachers, one of them WASN'T a Faunus.

**NeoNazo356:** Well, Jaune was more-focused on Jack than the car. Maybe _next_ time.  
Glad you caught the references. A while back I re-watched Xiaolin Showdown and felt really nostalgic about it; not the weird-ass French not-a-sequel-not-quite-a-reboot version, I mean the _original _that I grew up watching on Saturday mornings as a kid. What'd you think of the lineup?  
As for the teachers, the opportunity didn't come up. Making Dr. Stein, Lilith, Roland, or Brick, Faunus in this iteration to "diversify" the cast felt a little needless, so I opted not to do so. There _will _be more Faunus in the cast, some of the OCs and others Cameos, so there's that. I hope to further expand upon the interpersonal relations between Humans and Faunus that I laid out the groundwork for in the sequel.

**Blaze1992: **I have now found a new hazing/prank to plan in real life now just to find the right target "cough" I mean volunteer.

**NeoNazo356: **Just make sure the "volunteer" is sturdy. That or use a bungee able.

Anyway, stoked for all the fanmail last-chapter, but I think it's time we moved things along.

P.S.  
Be sure to give **KegiSpringfield**'s page on DeviantArt a look, because a new piece of Giant-Slayer fanart has been completed, for those of you who have or haven't read Giant-Slayer Chapter 56: THE LOST CHAPTER.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Alright, Vincent, our tour yesterday got cut short because the cafeteria staff needed an extra pair of hands, but now that we're both free, I'd like to complete your tour of Beacon so you know how to navigate the school grounds in the future," Glynda said curtly after a simple breakfast.

"Yes, ma'am!" Vincent replied chipperly, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed.

"But first…" the woman said regarding him with a critical eye. "We _have _to do something about those clothes?"

"What's wrong with my _clothes_?" Vincent asked tugging at the corners of his apron.

"You look like you crawled out from behind the counter of a _drug _store," Glynda said drly.

"From Dust 'til Dawn doesn't sell drugs, we sell over-the-counter _pharmaceuticals_," Vincent argued matter-of-factly.

"They're the same thing."

"Really?"

"Yes. Really."

"Ooooh…"

"As I was saying…" the woman said adjusting her glasses. "First thing's first, we're going to get you an entirely new wardrobe. Whenever you aren't doing work that requires a fixed uniform, I expect you to carry yourself with a certain amount of _class_, so that means no T-Shirts, no jeans, no sneakers."

"But that's all I _have_!"

"A mistake I very much intend to _remedy_," Glynda said as she led the teen along.

_***NEW WORLD***_

While Beacon Academy had a school store where students could purchase school supplies, and was even in the process of constructing a Just Rite convenience store along the main road for those coming and going, most students preferred going into Vale proper to make their bulk purchases.

However, when the need literally _could not wait_, Beacon _did _have a clothing store on school grounds. Most of their stock were the various uniforms required of the different courses, but they also had formal suits, tuxedos, and so-on for whatever consumer was aiming to show off a bit of class, dress nicely for an important presentation, or dress up for an important _rendezvous_. The wares _were _a bit more-expensive than the prices in town, but when you consider the cost of a two-way trip by airship or even shuttle, at times it actually _was _more cost-efficient to shop there, and more-convenient too.

Of course, this wasn't just _any _on-campus clothing store; this one had a long and storied _history_.

After the Valian King's castle grounds had been converted into the first Hunter Academy, the various guilds at the time began snatching up land for facilities as-quickly as they could, since the sudden _inclusion _of the common people into new and untapped markets created a sudden surplus of consumers. One such store was founded by the Tailor's Guild, and had been a fixture of Beacon grounds ever since.

Because of this, the store didn't so much have a _name _as it did a wooden sign hanging perpendicular above the door, stylized into the upper half of a finely-made suit; a throwback to the time when not-everyone was literate and stores used _pictograms _to advertise. The building itself had been added-upon once or twice a generation to keep up with supply and demand, as well as accommodate advances in technology like running water and electricity, but because the stone masons and architects took such pride in their craft wherever they could, you could hardly tell what parts of the building were new and which were old.

In _recent _years of course, those aiming to become fashion designers or otherwise get into the clothing industry would put in time working at aforementioned store to get their feet wet; the best of the best could even put their product on sale and get their name out there prior to graduation. With the Vytal Festival only a few months away, the best and brightest clothes-makers were vying for shelf space and the much-coveted window displays to get their names out on an_ international_ scale.

Most-famously, "the store with no name" colloquially referred to as "Threads" from generation to generation once _slang _became a thing, catered to the most-eccentric, and sometimes most-_bizarre _commissions that budding Huntsmen and Huntresses would press forward, since one's success in the job market was entirely dependent on how much one could "stand apart" from the crowd when it came time to hand-pick Huntsmen for a high-profile job.

Hence, why so many Hunters wore strange and flamboyant eye-catching attire even when simpler clothes would suffice for the job at hand.

The reason Glynda chose to take Vincent _here _of all places, other than the convenience of not having to make a two-way trip by shuttle, was because it was where she'd gotten her _own _clothes tailor-made when she was the boy's own age, and was presently attempting to instill in him an appreciation for fine clothing. His admittance onto Beacon's staff had Ozpin's fingerprints all over it, meaning the boy represented Ozpin in all he said and did, so he _had _to dress the part.

It had absolutely _nothing _to do with wanting to get him out of what she thought were dreadfully _pedestrian _clothes.

Upon entering the establishment, Vincent's mismatched eyes went wide with shock and awe as he beheld the bountiful amount of clothing on display around him, so many colors, types, and styles on display his mind was awhirl with stunned bewilderment.

_'That child-like innocence of his is actually pretty adorable,' _Glynda chuckled to herself, a bit of mirth in her expression before letting out a tired sigh. _"Too bad he has to grow up so fast."_

"Glynda, _darling_, it's been far too long~" a voice long-familiar to the woman cooed. "You hardly come _around _anymore…"

"My apologies, my schedule's been hectic until just-now," Glynda apologized to the pouting woman.

"Oh, it's okay, I'm not _really _angry or anything~ Friends forgive each other!" the woman replied happily as she came around the corner. "Oh? And who's _this _handsome young man?" she asked as she laid eyes on Glynda's tagalong.

"This is Vincent, a new hire at Beacon that Ozpin has taken a vested interest in; _for _some _reason,_" she muttered under her breath. "Vincent, this is Elisa Anderson, a friend of mine from my school days and the current proprietor of this shop."

"Nice to meet you!" Vincent replied with a broad smile.

"Oh my, aren't _you _an energetic young man," the woman chuckled, the odd-eyed teen's energy practically _contagious_.

She was close to Glynda's age with bright blue eyes and blond almost-white waist-length hair in a Victorian "Ringlets & Roses" style with a fringe of hair over her forehead. Her attire consisted of a tight-fitting blue sleeveless blouse with a high collar that showed off her hourglass figure, a billowing dark-blue skirt with feathery edges and feather-like designs split down the middle, a two-layered white ruffled skirt underneath, and black stockings into matching high heels. Add the feathery white shawl draped over her arms, and she gave off a graceful _swan-_like vibe.

"So, how can I help you two?"

"Vincent is in need of some new clothes," Glynda said curtly. "His current wardrobe is severely… _lacking_."

"Hm, I see what you mean," Elisa hummed as she tugged at a corner of his apron. "Don't worry, you came to _just _the right place," she said drawing a measuring tape from her pocket and running quick, practiced measurements before noting them all down. "So, what did you have in mind for him?" she asked turning to Glynda, notepad in hand.

"Something a little more _respectable_, for starters," Glynda said glancing down at the teen's measurements before whipping out her riding crop. Flitting the end through the air like a conductor before an orchestra, Vincent's body glowed purple and was moved swiftly into one of the changing rooms, followed by various articles of clothing from across the store. The last thing to be moved with the woman's Semblance was the curtain, obscuring him from view.

"Weren't you always on _my_ case about 'frivolous misuse' of _my _Semblance?" Elisa questioned with a raised brow, gathering together some essentials of her own.

"I just want to get Vincent's orientation done as-quickly as possible. I am _not _pleased with Ozpin foisting his next _project _onto me," the woman sighed, deflecting the question.

"I've been meaning to ask, what _is _it with Ozpin's weird tendency to take in strays?" the woman questioned. "When a fifteen-year-old fresh out of Combat School and two years short of fully 'ripening' gets admitted into the Hunter course, people tend to notice."

"The man has influence, and _tenure_, and isn't afraid to take advantage of it," Glynda answered. "Just like _some _people I know…" she groaned as a screw-headed psychopath cackled madly in the back of her head. "Vincent, are you finished yet?" she asked, unconsciously tapping her foot. "We still have a lot more ground to cover before the day is through, and I _don't_ appreciate delays."

_"Give me another minute, please. This suit has a lot of buttons on it,"_ Vincent said from behind the curtain.

"Well, just try to be out of there in a timely fashion," the woman sighed.

**One Minute Later...**

**_*Tweet* _**"Well don't _you _clean up well?" Elisa whistled as Vincent stepped out of the changing booth.

"You really think so?" Vincent asked giving himself a once-over, flattening the creases before presenting himself to the two for inspection. His attire at _present _consisted of a black deep-collared vest with green trim on the collar and brass buttons, worn above an old-fashioned dress shirt with tied sleeves, a black/green tie, creased black pants, and dark gray horse riding boots.

"You know, all he needs now is a cape and a riding crop, and he could be your _son_," Elisa chuckled glancing Glynda's way, the woman looking down at her own attire before flushing. "Wait… is _that _what you're going for?" she asked, her eyes crinkling in amusement.

"N-No, of course not, I just want him to be more _respectable _is all," Glynda asserted.

"Sure you do," Elisa chuckled, pushing the two together before snapping a picture on her Scroll. "Yep. The two of you _definitely _look like mother and child," she said holding the picture up, showing the two standing shoulder to shoulder in their matching outfits. "Oh, Glynda, I just _knew _you'd make a great mom someday!"

"That is _not _why I did this," Glynda flushed as she shoved the teen back into the changing room before panickingly _burying _him under an avalanche of now-random articles. "I must've subconsciously chosen it for him because it's what _I'm _always comfortable wearing."

"At least you didn't squeeze him into a _pencil_ skirt. He's cute and all, but he doesn't have the figure for it," the other blond chuckled. "I really mean it, though, I always _knew _you'd make for a great mom. Your students might not see it, but you have a very caring, _nurturing _side of you."

"Why is everyone so-fixated on this idea that I'm like the boy's _mother_? First Ozpin, now you. Who's _next_? Who else _thinks _that?"

"Oh don't get so bent out of shape about it," the woman said waving her hand. "Even if _you _don't see yourself as a mother, the boy feels really _safe _around you. At least if what the rumor mill is saying is true."

"I only showed him around for half a _day_."

"Yes, and you two got along like peanut butter and chocolate," the woman chuckled. "Based on what I've heard about the boy, he's in desperate need of some guidance after what happened to him," she said glancing over to the occupied changing booth. "What he needs right now, more than anything, is a firm, but kind, guiding hand."

"I don't need to be a _mother _to give him that kind of guidance."

"Maybe not, but it couldn't _hurt _either," Elisa chuckled. "After all, weren't _you _the one who gave him his name back?"

_'OZZPIIIIIIN!' _Glynda raged internally, realizing what the man had let slip in some roundabout attempt of forcing her and her current charge closer together. "I didn't _intend _to ease his lost memories out."

"Maybe you didn't _intend _to, but after the way he _imprinted _on you, I think you're stuck with him~"

"You aren't going to let me live this _down_, are you?"

"After taking _this _picture? Not on your life," the woman chuckled holding up her Scroll, only for Glynda to snatch it away. Before the woman could delete it however, her body suddenly locked up, her clothes tightening around her frame before her arm was held back out, forced to return the Scroll back to its original owner. "Sorry, Glynda, but I'll just hold _on _to this," she chuckled, the threads from her free hand coming free of Glynda's attire and releasing her.

"You know, if you applied your talents to pushing back the darkness, you'd be quite terrifying," Glynda said straightening her clothes.

"Maybe, but Grimm don't wear clothes, so I think I'll stay right here," Elisa chuckled with crossed arms.

"Um… I hate to interrupt you two, but there's women's clothes in here too… Do you want me to try _them _on?" Vincent asked poking his head out the curtain.

"N-No," Glynda said embarrassingly as she wrenched the curtain open and began returning articles to their places across the store.

"So, how many outfits can I expect to send out, today?" Elisa asked, turning her attention back to her notepad.

"Enough to last a week would be appreciated. As well as week's worth of some… _trendier _clothes for his time outside of work," the woman groused. Nice clothes _were _nice and all, but you couldn't wear them _all _the time or they'd get worn out.

"But I don't have any _money_, and these clothes look _expensive_," Vincent interjected.

"We'll charge this to Ozpin's account," Glynda said with a tiny smirk on her face.

Petty revenge was still revenge.

"Right away, Glynda," Elisa chuckled. "I'll have it sent to your dorm, your old clothes as well."

_***NEW WORLD***_

"While I'm glad you can carry yourself with a bit more class, I'm not sure I appreciate all the extra… _attention _you're now receiving," Glynda said as they walked through Beacon grounds, the female passerby casting the white-haired teen with appreciative glances.

"What do you mean?" Vincent asked with a tilt of his head, seemingly oblivious to the looks he was receiving.

No longer clad like a convenience store worker, he cut a pretty impressive figure now that he "cleaned up". A fact that the females of his age group made little effort to hide as they eyed him up and down.

"I'll tell you later," the woman sighed, dreading to have _that _kind of talk with someone old-enough to be her _own _child. "For the time being, I'm going to introduce you to some of my associates. Whenever I'm not available, I hope you'll turn to them for guidance."

"Okey-dokey, lead the way!" Vincent chirped happily, Glynda's expression softening at his exuberance as she led him towards the office of one Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck, who now-free of his first-term teaching obligations had returned to his own work until called-upon.

_***NEW WORLD***_

The walls of Dr. Oobleck's personal office looked much like the chalkboard of his classroom; maps covered in notes with "conspiracy board" threads linking places and events together. On large shelves running from floor to ceiling were a number of artifacts from all over the world, some relatively pristine, some restored, others so-aged you could scarcely tell what they were anymore. On a work bench were clay artifacts still in the process of being restored, a number of history texts laid out next to it so said restoration could be done with period-accurate materials, tools, and techniques. Nestled in the corner of the room was a small chalkboard and bench so the man could make one-on-one presentations.

In short, it looked and smelled exactly what a history/archaeology professor's office was expected to look and smell like.

"Hmmm… From what you've told me, the boy's condition to be an extremely severe case of retrograde amnesia. In fact, this seems to be the most-sever case of the disease I've borne witness to, yes!" Dr. Oobleck noted as he was brought up to speed about Vincent's condition.

"Yes, which is why I'd appreciate you watching over him whenever I am unable," Glynda returned. "Assuming you aren't occupied with your own obligations, that is."

"Ah, yes, of course. Anything for a fellow colleague," Dr. Oobleck replied. "I am _always _happy to nurture young minds."

Before Glynda could offer her thanks, the woman's Scroll vibrated. Looking down into the message, the blond let out a tired sigh.

"It looks like you'll need to watch him for me sooner than I'd anticipated," she sighed. "Would you excuse me for a moment? It seems a couple of the third-years are getting rowdy for _one _reason or another," she asked as she made her way out. "Vincent, wait here until I return. We'll continue your tour when I get back."

"Got it! I'll stay right here!" Vincent replied exuberantly, the woman nodding before turning her attention to the green-haired doctor.

"I assume leaving him in your care won't be a _mistake_?"

"Of course not. I would never do _anything _to damage an impressionable young mind in need of nurturing," Dr. Oobleck replied, sounding almost _offended _at her insinuation.

"I'll take your word for it."

And with that, the woman was gone.

"So…" Dr. Oobleck hummed, unused to babysitting outside his role as a teacher. "Any inquiries you wish to inquire? Any quandaries you wish to question? Anything small you wish to talk?"

"Hmmm… Well…" Vincent hummed nervously. "Lately I've been getting this weird quivering feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever I'm around pretty girls, and I get kinda _sweaty_. Is there a _reason _for that?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

The glint that shone on the doctor's glasses would've sent those familiar with the man's eccentricities running for the hills.

_***NEW WORLD***_

As it turned out, all that was needed to diffuse the altercation between third-years was merely to _show up_. As powerful as students got toward their final years, they all still paled in comparison to a tried-and-true Huntress who had chosen to become an instructor.

Suffice it to say, sometimes the best form of intervention was none at all.

As she made her way back to where she'd left Vincent, the woman couldn't help but worry about her young charge.

"I just hope Bart hasn't said anything _weird _to him while I was away," Glynda hummed, hoping she didn't make a mistake by leaving Vincent alone with him.

The man's eccentricities were almost _legendary_, though given how high-stress an archaeological dig could be when a Grimm attack could occur at any moment, or just how-dangerous being a Huntsman in _general _was, a little eccentricity was a given.

Slowly opening the door to the man's office, the woman's hopes were sufficiently dashed, her worst fears realized.

"And now onto the _next _marvel of the female body: the cli_toris_!" Dr. Oobleck said enthusiastically, snapping a pointer at a detailed drawing of the female reproduction system he'd put up on the chalkboard, Vincent eagerly taking notes as wide innocent eyes soaked in every detail.

"No no NONONONONO!" Glynda yelped as she zipped into the room, grabbed Vincent by the scruff of his neck, and bolted down the hall before the man could say anymore.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Hey, why'd you interrupt? I wasn't _finished _yet," Vincent whined once he was set down on his own two feet.

_'I'm going to chalk it up to the amnesia,' _Glynda thought in regards to how Vincent could say that with a completely straight face. "Vincent, for the time being, I don't want you to be alone with Dr. Oobleck anymore. The man's a bad influence."

"But he seemed like such a nice guy."

"Someone being a 'nice guy' doesn't mean they can't still be a bad _influence_," Glynda corrected. _'If I let him get The Talk from anyone _else_, who _knows _what kind of nonsense his mind could be filled with?' _Glynda said to herself, wondering what kind of deranged nutball Vincent might turn into if someone like Dr. Oobleck, or god forbid Professor _Port_, were the ones to educate him on matters concerning the opposite gender.

And don't even get her _started _on Dr. Stein. If Vincent received his sexual education from _that _man, he might regard sex the same way one regards a _science _experiment.

_'I hope_ Marie _is available. I can't trust anyone _else _to preserve the boy's sanity,' _Glynda thought. Marie always _did _have a healing, soothing effect on those in her proximity.

Since the boy's memories, or lack-thereof, made him as blank a slate as one could be, it was important that she prevent him from being "dyed" in anyone's image other than his own.

"You seem awfully moody today. Are you on your men_strual_ cycle?" Vincent asked with a completely straight face, nearly causing the older woman to fumble mid-step. "Dr. Oobleck said that was a thing that made women crabby, so I can't help but wonder-"

"A woman's period is _not _something you bring up in mixed company," the woman chastised, her thoughts whirling a mile an hour as she realized just how socially inept Vincent actually was when subjected to extended scrutiny. _'The moment we're done here, I'm taking him _straight _to Marie__.'_

"If you _say_ so," Vincent shrugged.

_'It'd be much easier to be mad at him if he actually knew what _sass _was,' _Glynda thought as her Scroll buzzed once again. _'Ugh. Sometimes it feels like _I'm _the one running this school,' _she sighed as she saw the contents. "Vincent, would you mind waiting here for me?" she asked pushing him down onto a nearby bench. "And not talk to any strangers until I get back?"

"Sure, no problem," Vincent replied with a smile.

"Good… good…" Glynda nodded, feeling some of the tension leaving her shoulders at how agreeable the impressionable young man was being. "I mean it," she said looking over her shoulder as she stepped away. "I don't want you leaving this spot until I get back."

"Don't you have an _errand _to run?"

' _. . . _Sooo _much easier…' _the woman sighed as she walked off, leaving the white-haired teen to his own devices.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Having the unique case of amnesia that he did, one of the things Vincent was _not _concerned with was the time he was wiling away by sitting on his ass and doing a whole lot of nothing. In a way however, this unique clarity of mind gave him the ability to _appreciate _his surroundings in the way that the more-cognizant could _not_.

Little things like the leaves rustling in the wind, the smell of flowers, the gentle clamor of people criss-crossing in front of him, the chirping of birds and the foraging of the squirrels that had become used to peoples' presence. Most of which were things he was still experiencing for the first time, despite being around eighteen; give or take.

Tapping his foot and whistling a tune to himself that echoed from the back of his mind, the blissful teen almost missed the screams were it not for the panicked students running right in front of him.

_'What's happening? Is it another crazed robot attack?' _Vincent thought as he snapped his head over his shoulder, seeing throngs of people fleeing from around the corner of the building. Moments later, a massive, lumbering form tumbled into view, those fleeing in its wake scattering like roaches.

The terrifying creature was massive, simian in shape and mostly jet-black with heavy bony plating on its chest and abdomen, with smaller clusters of broken plates on its arms and legs, a skull-like mask on the upper part of its face, sockets holding menacing eyes that burned like fire.

Amidst the students that scattered in the wake of the beast's guttural roars, only two stood out to the amnesiac teen, the shorter of the two helping her friend along while all others fled with only their own safety in mind. The shorter of the two was petite in stature with purple eyes and a prominent forehead, her front bangs braided and her hair split in the back with yellow ribbons. The girl being dragged along had deep violet hair covering most of her face except for a single blue eye that peeked out on occasion, the girl utterly _oozing _shyness.

As the two ran, the massive Grimm taking swipes with its massive arms making the panic in the air rise even more, the taller of the two girls suddenly tripped on a piece of brickwork jutting upward from the footpath they were on, her hand slipping from her friend's. Trying to get back to her feet, the shy-looking girl let out a pained yelp as she grasped her ankle, the Grimm's attention immediately drawn to her.

The shorter girl, trembling in fear as her friend scrambled out of the way of the Grimm's downward slams, desperately called out to passerby.

_'Wait… Why are they all running away?' _Vincent asked himself as the shorter girl pleaded for any passerby to come back with her and help her friend, only to be rebuked at every turn. After a few moments, her eyes locked with his own, and seeing him as the only one not running for the hills, she made an immediate beeline for him.

"Please! You have to help me!" the short girl pleaded of him. "That thing's just _toying _with her for now, but it won't be long until it goes in for the kill! She doesn't have enough Aura to handle a Grimm of that size!"

"Don't worry! I'm on it!" Vincent said shooting up from his seat, only to freeze mid-step as a certain woman's words echoed in his head.

_**"****I mean it. I don't want you leaving this spot until I get back."**_

"What're you just standing there for? Aren't you going to help her!?"

" . . . Sorry, Glynda. Guess I really suck at following instructions," Vincent muttered to himself, steeling his will as he ran towards the downed girl, regardless of her previous instructions.

However, before he could take so much as two steps forward, a high-pitched whine suddenly filled his ears, muting all else as it echoed in the space between his ears.

Shaking his head and quashing the noise down, he took a third step, only for an uncomfortable heat to burn into his right temple, the space in front of him gaining a reddish hue, like looking through rose-tinted lenses.

Soldiering into a fourth step, this one seemed to be the worst of all as stars suddenly exploded behind his eyes, his limbs shooting ramrod straight like he were being tazed before he unceremoniously fell face-first into the ground and the world went black.

_***NEW WORLD***_

What…

What happened…?

Where am I?

Why can't I move my body?

**[Auto-Repair: 99.99995%]**

**[Auto-Repair: 99.99996%]**

**[Auto-Repair: 99.99997%]**

**[Auto-Repair: 99.99998%]**

**[Auto-Repair: 99.99999%]**

**[Auto-Repair… Completed]**

Auto-what-now?

**[Handshaking Procedures… Re-Engaging]**

Whose hand? Is it _my _hand?

**[Neurological Scan… Cycling]**

What, like a bicycle?

**[Neurological Scan... Complete]**

Am I there yet?

**[Final Cognitive Assessment… Initializing]**

Wouldn't the initials be "C.A."?

**[Final Cognitive Assessment… Complete]**

What, like an IQ test?

**[Mental Competency… Verified]**

No idea what that means.

**[A.M.A.Z.O. System… Activated]**

Whoa, okay, that's a lot of periods. What the heck just turned on?

Also, in case anyone's listening…

WHERE THE FUCK _AM IIIIIII_!?

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Wake up…! Wake up already!" Yue Ayase, friend to Nodoka Miyazaki and Yang Xiao Long, pleaded of the white-haired teen as he laid motionless on the ground. "Come on…! Did you have a _stroke _or something? Wake _up _already!"

The next moment the bookish girl let out a startled yelp as the teen's right hand shot up, a sudden heat causing her to recoil as cloth began to burn, an arm of ringed chrome glowing red between the seams revealed before it came down onto the brick walkway with a loud _***CRACK***_, a cloud of dust kicked up as the white-haired teen rigidly rose like a combat android rebooting, his head twitching and jerking.

Eyes snapping open to the world, a baleful orb of crimson glowed ominously like that of an Annihilator from the movie franchise of the same name. That same eye glancing sidelong and looking into her own, Yue felt herself lock up like a deer in the headlights as the formerly-comatose teen regarded her with a critical eye.

A panicked shriek piercing the air once more, the baleful eye of crimson snapped away from her and onto her friend, the formerly-comatose teen violently getting his feet back beneath himself before he broke out into a run.

**To be continued...**

_***NEW WORLD***_

**AN:  
******A bit of Beacon history the Canon never really touched up on, a couple snippets of school staff, and more of our amnesiac protagonist.****

****The mystery and plot surrounding him thickens, as will more Remnant fanon lore.****


	9. Fateful Encounter PART 2

**Greywing44: ***Takes deep breath*  
Gotta say, with all I've seen from you, did NOT expect you to be a negima fan. Though you got good taste though! Yue gets pretty up there in battle strength eventually and Nodoka's a force to be reckoned with an a tactition. I can't wait to see what you do with them in this story.  
Amazo though? Really? Why would you want a half naked elf in your biz? Heh, I'm kidding, this should be fun.

**NeoNazo356:** Negima was one of the first Manga I bought in-bulk at MTAC, and I've been collecting them until I finally had the whole set. It's one of my earliest fav's, next to "Rosario+Vampire", "Amazing Agent Luna", "Toriko", and a few other titles that have influenced my work. In the _previous _story, one of my favorite characters made a surprise appearance, but kept it low-key enough that no-one would know who she is right away; she was actually mistaken for Salem very recently. As for Yue and Nodoka, they seemed like an interesting contrast to have in Yang's circle of friends, hence why I introduced Nodoka in the prequel, so as to be a segue to expanding Yang's circle of friends in Volume 2.  
As for Amazo, he isn't _always _an elf-like android; at least not in Earth-12.  
*Wink*

**KitsuneDragon:** Sooooo...Vincent's a cyborg?

**NeoNazo356:** In a... manner of speaking. Also, I've made _no _attempt to hide his "Automail", so _that _shouldn't be a surprise, and RWBY _already _has cyborgs and the occasional gynoid, so it shouldn't be that-shocking as of _this _chapter.  
Of course, if it isn't obvious enough, Vincent isn't just any _ordinary _cyborg, and hints at his origin have been sprinkled in all his past appearances if you aren't already aware. The acronym "A.M.A.Z.O." is just the most-recent in a trail of breadcrumbs I've been leaving behind ever since his appearance in Giant-Slayer (Volume 1).

**skinnydude911: **Well, looks like the plot of Vincent's past and abilities thickens... this should be good.  
Also, dear God... f*** Oobleck teaching him about sex, holy s*** that was one of the funniest things I've read. I can just see Glynda having an anime horrified expression plastered on her face as she found them like that. I laughed so much at that moment she walked in and found him teaching the young amnesiac about women. Well done man.

**NeoNazo356:** Yeah, that _was _kind of the reaction I was hoping for when Oobleck went off on _that _tangent. Given the zeal he teaches History, it only makes sense that, when given the opportunity, he'd tackle "the birds and the bees" with equal zeal; which in some cases can be a really bad (read: _funny_) combination.  
Glad Glynda's distress brings you such joy.

**TM11: **So, Vincent either is a cyborg or an android? Or is he something like Tatsuya Shiba from Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei?

**NeoNazo356:** An "android" is what Penny would be if she were a _he_. Basically, what Android 16 from Dragonball Z is. Vincent is most-_definitely _a cyborg because, as you might've seen in Giant-Slayer (Volume 1) "Chapter 53: The Wandering Stray & The Los Boy", Vincent _bleeds_.  
As for Tatsuya Shiba... I hadn't seen that prior to starting Giant-Slayer, so it won't be a crossover and it wasn't inspiration for his character, but that being said, Vincent isn't outright "magical" like Tatsuya is. His feats up 'til now have _other _sensible explanations, though you might have to open up your imagination to possibilities with a little more... _dimension _to them.

Stoked to have so many interesting Reviews, and I'm looking forward to more in the chapters to come.

_***NEW WORLD***_

_'Why…?' _Nodoka thought to herself as she scrambled through the grass and the dirt to escape the Grimm trying to crush her. _'Why couldn't I get a Semblance like Yang?'_

Even to the untrained eye it was obvious this Grimm was just _toying_ with her; milking every drop of negativity it _could _from her.

_'Why can't I be strong like she is?' _she asked, lamenting her own weakness.

**"GRAAAAAAAAAH!"**

Nodoka rolled to the side, dodging another axe handle by the smallest margins.

_'Is this really where it ends for me…?' _she asked, glancing up to see Yue nudging an unconscious teen with white hair as thoughts of all she'd never be able to do flitted across her mind. _'Yue… Haruna… Yang… I'm sorry…' _

Closing her eyes as the Grimm raised its arms up once more, the girl resigned herself for the final blow.

_'Goodbye...'_

The next moment, the was the loud _***WHAM-CRACK* **_of a body being struck and bones being broken, the noise resounding far and wide through the air.

To Nodoka's confusion however, _she _didn't feel a thing.

**Cue Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth OST – Amakakeru Hoshi (Star Soaring) by Suara**

Hazarding a glance upward, the bookworm's blue eyes went wide as she beheld a silver-haired man barely older than her striking the massive Grimm in the face with a beautifully-sculpted arm of ringed chrome, coming to her rescue at the last possible moment like the hero from the stories of yore. The Grimm's bone-like mask cracking around the left eye and staggering backward, the silver-haired hero landed before her with the grace of a cat, his fine clothing a strange match for the beautiful arm of chrome jutting from his shoulder.

"Hey! Are you okay?" the silver-haired teen asked, mismatched eyes of indigo and glowing crimson meeting her own as he turned to meet her gaze.

"I-Look out!" she suddenly shouted, pointing hurriedly behind him, the massive Beringel lunging towards the silver-haired teen, enraged as chips of bone fell from its visage.

Odd-colored eyes glancing to the side, ribbons of silver light suddenly spilled out as he whirled on his heel and thrust out his arms. With a roar of- "STAY AWAY FROM HER!" -, the air around the two of them shuddered before suddenly coming _alive_, a monstrous gale like the exhale of a scorned god bore down on the massive Grimm, halting its forward momentum entirely as it clumsily fell to the ground. With another mighty push, silver ribbons of light beginning to spill out of the teen's hands, grass went flat and trees groaned as the gale grew _stronger_, the Grimm's massive frame causing it to be thrown onto its back, actually _tumbling_.

"Whoa…" Nodoka awed with wide eyes as she beheld the showing of Nature's Wrath, nary a speck or crystal of Dust in sight.

"Can you… stand…?" the silver-haired teen asked between pants of air, the recent display obviously taking its toll on him.

"Yes, I-agh!" she suddenly cried the moment she put her weight on her foot. "My ankle… I think I sprained it…" she said, pitying her own weakness.

"Here, let me help you up," he said extending his chromed hand to her.

Staring up at the limb of ringed chrome, despite its glowing iridescent lines, the girl couldn't help but reach out to it, seemingly entranced with this other-worldly figure standing before her.

The moment their hands met, the girl felt a sudden surge of warmth wash over her; not the cruel, abrasive warmth of putting your hand on a hot stove, but instead the soft heat of a warm blanket. She was far from the sort of machine nut that Yang's sister was, but even _she _knew that Automail was meant to be _cold_; yet, this _warmth _she felt was extremely surprising, and in a weird way sort of welcoming.

"Nodoka! Other guy! Behind you!" Yue called out, the two teens whipping their heads around once again to see the recovering Grimm ambling towards them, a bit more-cautiously in the face of forces it couldn't comprehend.

Because to the Grimm, the thing that kept attacking it was practically invisible, flickering into its visible spectrum _only _when attacking, before completely disappearing.

"You shall not pass!" the silver-haired teen roared as silver spilled from his eyes once more, a violent column of wind spilling out of his left palm, angrily buffeting the Grimm and halting it in place before his gaze turned back to her. His right hand gently lifted up, in contrast to the violent gale assaulting the Beringel, Nodoka found herself being swaddles in a cradle of wind, held aloft like a baby bird in the hand of a saint.

The blue-eyed girl sailing gently away, a juxtaposition to the opposite feat of power being displayed in his opposing hand, as she was set down next to Yue, the bookish girl managed to call out one last time before she was led away.

"Good luck! I believe in you!"

_***NEW WORLD***_

_'Heh… It's pretty nice being appreciated,' _Vincent thought to himself with a smile on his face, idly rubbing his free hand at the back of his head before turning his attention back to the massive gorilla-shaped Grimm coming at him. _'This power… I think I'm getting the hang of it_. _Only… I still don't know why I have it…'_

Thrusting his arms out and focusing all of his power on forcing the Grimm back, to the silver-haired teen's surprise, the Grimm began punching divots into the ground, using them as footholds as it advanced toward him, shrugging off the wind in a way it hadn't before.

"Well… _That's_ unfortunate…" the teen hummed before throwing his arms upward as though he were flipping a table.

The wind, heeding his command, threw the Grimm upward, the massive gorilla-shaped beast flailing wildly through the air while the silver-haired wind-wielder turned on his heel and ran like his life depended on it.

Cause it kinda did.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Running, running, running, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap," Vincent chanted to himself as he ran like his life depended on it.

Cause it kinda did.

**"Booooo! Learn a new joke!"**

**How the hell do you assholes keep getting **_**in**_** here?!**

"Shit! And I just _got _this shirt too!" he swore only just _now _realizing his right sleeve had burned away… for _some _reason. "Also… Why the heck is my arm _glowing_?" he said glancing down to his arm before blinking. "Also, _again_, why the heck is everything so _red_?" he tacked on as he blinked his eyes.

Ever since that… _whatever _it was, went off inside his head, everything in front of him had gained a reddish hue, only abating whenever he actively closed his right eye. It was quite jarring actually.

Glancing over his right shoulder to the Grimm chasing him, a white chevron enveloped it with multiple prompts reading **[-!-DANGER-!-]** surrounding it, Vincent did the only thing he could possibly think of.

"Brain! Status report!" he shouted to himself.

_**"****Everybody knows that the best way to learn is under **_**intense **_**life-threatening crisis!"**_

I never said the "only thing" was remotely _smart_, now did I?

"Damn you brain! That was _not _helpful!" he cried as he turned his attention back in front of him. The people fleeing out of his path lit up with white chevrons as well, separating them from the background. The teen's right eye beginning to sting a little, he glanced around until he found an area with a _low _concentration of white chevrons, and continued to kite the Grimm after him. "No idea what happened to my _eye_, but I'll _take it_!" he said, seeing as it was helping him _find_ an area with few people.

"Young man! This way!" a rotund man in a burgundy suit with gray hair and a large mustache called out from an empty lot in that general direction.

"Don't have to tell _me _twice!" Vincent said ramping up the speed and making a sharp turn to the left, the Grimm tumbling into a nearby trashcan before righting itself after him.

"Hold this, will you?" Professor Port asked as he shed the upper half of his clothing, revealing his rotund, but still well-muscled form. Drawing a Knocking Gun from his pants pocket as his attire was passed along, the man brought it up to his shoulders, injecting biodegradable needles into his muscles sending an intense electric current into his muscular system.

The next moment his right arm tripled in size, followed by his left, his upper body expanding shortly after with legs swelling just-enough to accommodate. The Grimm closing in on him, the now-enormously-muscled man's girth was more than a match for the massive Grimm that tried grappling him into submission, the man's cavalry boots digging into the dirt until they found purchase.

"Oh _hoh_! A _feisty _one, aren't you?" the man asked as they entered a heated stalemate.

"Holy crap! How the hell did you _do_ that?!" Vincent gawped as he beheld the moustached man's muscular form.

"Push-ups, sit-ups, and _plenty _of juice," the man chuckled heartily before he spread out his arms and drew the Grimm into a headbutt that caused another large crack to form on the Grimm's bone mask, this one splitting it down the center.

"Holy crap! How many push-ups did he do? How many sit-ups? What kind of _juice _did he drink?!" Vincent could only gawp as Professor Port laid down a furious staccato of blows on the raging Grimm as it tried and failed to surmount the enormous wall of meat before it.

"I shall indulge your questions later! For the time being, excellent work on keeping that young girl safe."

"You _saw _that?"

"From the _window_! And _very _heroically-done!" the man said with a grin as he grappled against the Grimm. "Don't worry, you can leave this to the _pros _now!" he said freeing his right hand before punching the Grimm in the face and throwing him away. Squaring his feet and pointing his right fingers forward, grasping his wrist with his left, his extended fingers let out an iridescent orange glow before he cried out- "JUSTICE FLASH!"

The glow of light from his fingertips suddenly belting out a deluge of ob-longed orbs, each one burst against the Grimm's body like bubbles, hair and flesh alike singed, filling the air with the scent of cooked meat as the attack kicked up a plume of dust in front of the Grimm.

Vincent for his part could only gape as heterochromatic eyes drank everything in, the teen in utter awe at the sight before him.

However, amidst that awe was a sense of... self-loathing, from deep down inside.

_'It doesn't feel right... sitting back doing nothing...'_ he lamented to himself as he stepped back._ 'If only I had some sort of _weapon_.'_

**[Thought Command: Recognized]**

**[Weapon Privileges: Reinstated]**

**[Generating Context-Sensitive Presets...]**

_'Wait what?' _the teen thought to himself before an intense pain suddenly erupted from his right temple. The iridescent rings on his chromed arm blinking as the teen staggered, symbols he couldn't understand appearing before his left eye. His vision flickering between white and red as he was greeted by the unfamiliar sight, all he could tell was that the symbols flittering through his vision were like the App symbols on his Scroll; small squares with rounded edges and symbols in the center.

His hand reaching up to swat the phantasmal chevrons out of his way, his fingertip passed through one making something like a _***Blip* **_sound in his ear, all the other flurrying symbols disappearing as the word **[ FABRICATING ] **blinked into being in front of him, a progress bar appearing beneath an App-like symbol depicting a vaguely egg-shaped cannon with an energy bar on the side.

The next moment, the chromed metal of his arm became a dull dark-gray matte with only the barest sheen, the concentric rings disappearing until his right arm resembled his left, only made of dull liquid metal instead. Before he could blink and process the change, his arm began to transform _again_, only unlike weapons with Collapsible or Foldable frames, his arm actually _morphed_, matter shifting and changing shape with a sound like a blade being drawn.

A few moments later and his right forearm resembled the egg-shaped cannon from the symbol, a dark-blue color bleeding across the metal in its final moments before it solidified once more, leaving Vincent enthralled yet more-confused than ever.

"Okay... I have a _gun_, but no _hand_..." the teen muttered, trying to keep his composure as he turned his new gun-arm this way and that, looking at it from every angle. "How does this thing even-"

Twitching a finger that wasn't even there anymore, there was suddenly a loud _***PEW* **_noise as a bright-yellow oblong sphere of energy was suddenly spat from the barrel, the bolt of energy sailing through the air before taking a chunk out of a tree in the distance.

The sound of wood groaning until the tree buckled under its own weight, Vincent hissed painfully at the sight, before panickingly pointing his gun-arm at the ground.

If... _whatever _just happened, happened again, at least he wouldn't hit anything important.

Or any_one_.

As doubt, confusion, and fear swelled in the odd-eyed teen's mind, the Grimm, still being assailed by Port's Justice Flash, had its attention drawn sidelong to its previous target, the negative emotions welling up within the teen's mind causing him to light up like a beacon, unironically-enough, to the creature of darkness.

Breaking away from Port into a sprint, energy bolts peppering its back as it disengaged, Port saw where the Grimm was going before shouting- "Look out!" -as the Grimm bore down on him.

Vincent for his credit had enough presence of mind to leap away from the Grimm's right swipe, the air whistling around the strike as he dodged.

To the teen's shock however, the pendant around his neck that had jumped out into the open during the chase, was _not _so fortunate, the barest hint of bony fingernail snagging the ribbon and sending it flying through the air, the old coin glinting in the sun like a winking eye as it landed in the grass.

Eyes going wide with panic, the Grimm bearing down on him was momentarily forgotten as he dove to the ground and grasped at his pendant, hastily blowing flecks of dirt and blades of grass from the immaculate black ribbon his friend had applied for him, caring more for _it _than the pendant itself, actually. A large shadow looming over him, the teen looked up to realize his error as the Grimm from before raised its arms above its head, intent on crushing him in his vulnerable stance.

Port, diving towards him with as much speed as he could muster and Vincent grasping the coin tightly, neither he nor Port nor Grimm noticed a soft golden glow emanating from the coin in his grasp. An instant later, the smallest, most-minute twitch of his leg muscles transformed into a powerful _leap_, carrying him well away from the Grimm's blow, dirt and grass kicked up as Vincent's body righted itself, almost as if by magic, landing on the ground with another bout of mantis-like grace.

"Huh...?" Vincent hummed looking down to his legs, then to the coin in his grasp. " . . . Mull on it later!" he said stuffing the pendant securely into his shirt before aiming his gun-arm at the Grimm, firing a shot into its face right as it was shoulder-checked from behind, the lemon-shaped bolt of energy taking out an eye if the Beringel's howling was anything to go by. "Listen up, _butt_-head! You do _not _hit girls! It's bad _manners_!" the teen chastised, the Grimm glaring at him with its remaining eye as a throaty growl left his lips.

"Ah, fighting for a young maiden's _honor_, are you?" Port questioned with a grin behind his mustache, seeing that the young man was now more-armed than moments before. "Very well then! I shall sit this battle out. He's all yours," he said as he sat upon a nearby bench, the wood and metal groaning under his new girth as he crossed his arms.

At that, Vincent and the Grimm stared one another down, mis-matched eyes of crimson and indigo glaring into a single fiery orb, the creature of darkness letting a growl rumble from the back of his throat before it charged, the air around Vincent changing as he dove into action.

**Cue Mega Man 2 OST – Dr. Wily Stage**

Snapping up his right arm and taking aim even as he ran, Vincent fired off three lemon-shaped shots at the Grimm, peppering its bony chest before leaping over its head when it swung its arm out at him. Aiming straight down and peppering its back as well, the teen curled into a ball and rolled away before breaking out into a sprint once more, the Grimm howling as steam rose off the areas that had been blasted.

Letting out a gutteral roar, the Grimm rounded once again before lunging at speeds bellying its massive girth, two massive arms thick as tree trunks diving at the teen from either side, aiming to trap him in a very _fatal _embrace.

However, instead of going up, left, right, or back, Vincent actually went _forward_, which turned into a "down" as he slid under the Grimm's body feet-first across the ground, slipping beneath the beast without harm before he dug his heels into the ground, jumping up and then spinning on his axis so he was aiming at the Grimm once-more, blasting rounds into its back even before his belly hit the dirt.

A rapid deluge of energy bolts peppering the Grimm as the silver-haired teen grew more-accustomed to the gun-arm he'd acquired, the shots became more-centered, forcing the Grimm onto the defensive, lest even more of its bony plating be shorn away and its flesh incinerated.

The aged Grimm beginning to lose ground under the deluge of bolts, glancing at something from the corner of its remaining eye, the Grimm ripped a trashcan free from the ground before hurling it. The odd-eyed teen bounding over it, the Beringel in turn lunged at the teen in mid-leap knowing only birds could change direction mid-air.

However, to the creature's surprise, silver light spilling out of the teen's eyes ushered in a rising column of air, which carried the wind-wielding teen up and above the Grimm's attack.

"Ho hoh! So he can sting like a bee _and _float like a butterfly!" Port noted jovially as the silver-haired teen remained tentalizingly out of reach as he floated through the air like a leaf in the wind. None of the Grimm's follow-up swipes fared any better either, its ire rising as its opponent taunted and attacked it with impunity, the stressors of the fight causing its reserves of energy to wane.

This was the sight that greeted Beacon security and those of the trained Hunters who finally arrived on-scene.

"Port! What's going on here? How did that Grimm get loose? Why are you just sitting back and _watching_?" Glynda demanded as she walked forward, she and the other Hunters on-site forming a wide perimeter as the woman approached the one who _said _he'd arrived first.

"My money's on the Council sending us cheap cages. Whether it's because they want to save money or someone's embezzling and chose _this _as the corner to cut away, who's to say?" the man replied with a meaty shrug.

"Well, at least we can keep the situation under control and-_Vincent_!?" the woman suddenly squawked as she realized just _who _was keeping the Grimm contained. "Vincent, what are you _doing _out there?!" she demanded.

"Urk! Glynda?!" Vincent yelped with wide eyes, the laps of concentration causing the ribbons spilling out of them to die out, dropping him to the ground and onto his rear.

An opportunity the raging Beringel was more than eager to take advantage of.

"ROLL LEFT!"

Responding to the call, Vincent did as he was told, the Grimm's fist missing him as he rolled left.

"ROLL BACK, THEN TO THE RIGHT!"

Rolling backwards, Vincent dodged the stomp aimed at him before rolling right, avoiding the follow up downward strike that would've taken him down for good had the stomp connected.

"STEP FORWARD!"

The Grimm bringing down an axe handle, Vincent stepped forward into the space between its arms made on the downswing, peppering its face with lemon-shaped shots before he leapt far away. Glancing over his shoulder to the person shouting instructions at him, he saw the girl he'd helped get away only minutes ago, the girl being supported by her friend as she clutched a college ruled notebook tightly in her hands, never peeling her eyes from the pages as she held it in a knuckle-white grip.

"IT'S GOING FOR THE PARK BENCH! BLAST IT!" the girl cried several seconds _before _the Grimm moved to pick up the piece of outdoor furniture, Vincent snapping his arm-gun up and blasting it into splinters before it could even turn around, a confused expression on its face before it turned to the bookish girl. "EEP!" she cried as the Grimm abandoned all else, diving toward once-lost quarry.

"You! Get back!" Glynda shouted as she raised her riding crop, only for a gale of wind to sweep past her, eyes going wide as Vincent _literally _flew between the girl, the teen's riding boots digging into the ground until they found purchase, the teen standing resolutely between the bookish girl and the monster.

"No you _don't_!"

Rearing his head back and taking in a _massive _gulp of air, throwing his head forward, a great zephyr spilled from his lips as a silvery cone of air washed over the Grimm. Its momentum grinding to a halt, the Grimm once again began to punch divots into the ground in an attempt to press forward.

However, there was something _different _about the wind this time.

It wasn't noticeable at first, but after several seconds _ice crystals _could be seen blossoming across the Grimm's body, actually freezing one fist to the ground as crystals of frozen water vapor formed into sheets, the Grimm soon encased up to the neck in a thick tomb of ice, looking like it'd stepped out into a blizzard.

The teen's might exhale exhausted, his remaining hand went to his knee as he greedily drank in gulps of air, those around him wide-eyed at the display of elemental power they'd just borne witness to.

"How... How did you know what that Grimm was thinking?" Vincent asked over his shoulder between pants, the girl suddenly clamming up as she pressed the notebook to her chest.

Further questions were cut off as the sound of ice cracking and throaty growling echoed through the air, the trapped Grimm flailing its head from side to side, cracks forming along its icy prison.

"Super-macho mustache man!" the silver-haired teen shouted. "What am I supposed to do now?!"

"You finish it off after delivering a snappy _one__-liner _of course!" Port chuckled heartily, soaking in the compliment about his physique. "Go on, lad! Clench your butt cheeks, dig deep down inside, and yell out from the depths of your heart!" he responded jovially, Glynda sputtering audibly at the sheer _absurdity _of the man's statement.

"Right! I will!"

Vincent's response caused Glynda to sputter even _louder_.

**Cue My Hero Academia OST - You Say Run**

Breaking out into a sprint, Vincent drew his right arm back, a loud _***Bwe-we-we-we-woob-woob-woob-woob-woob-woob-woob!***_ noise began to fill the air as the inside of his gun-arm glowed brightly, motes of light being audibly drawn in, the weapon trembling as the energy gauge on the side glowed brightly.

"When life gives you lemons..." the teen said lowly as he closed the distance between them, raising his gun-arm into an uppercut aimed dead-center. "Make lemonAAAAADE!" he roared from the bottom of his heart, butt cheeks clenched as he discharged a powerfully-charged bolt with a loud _***BWASH***_, an enormous lemon-colored blast of energy ripping out of the gun-arm and blasting the Grimm clean in two.

"Wow...!" Nodoka gaped in awe as she beheld the silver-haired teen's heroic figure, right arm raised in victory as the remains of the Grimm evaporated away almost-instantly, his hair ruffling in the wind caressing hsi back.

"Well... never thought I'd hear that saying used _that _way..." Port hummed as his muscles began to deflate, the fight sufficiently ended. "Good job! That one-liner was _masterfully _orated, ha ha ha ha!" he chortled happily.

However, that sentiment wasn't reflected by _everyone_.

"Vincent Valentine!" Glynda growled as she stomped towards him. "What do you think you were _doing _out there?! Do you have any idea how _dangerous _that was?!" she demanded angrily, only to receive no reply in turn. "What do you have to say for yourself!?"

Before Glynda could berate him _further_ however, a stray wind caused him to list to the side, a sudden loss of strength causing him to be felled, losing consciousness before he met the frosty grass.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Nodoka! I heard what happened and came as soon as class let out! Are you alright?" Yang asked as she rushed over to Nodoka, forgoing a sitting lunch break to ensure her friend was alright.

When a Grimm escapes containment because someone on the Council shelled out for shitty cages and/or was filling their own coffers, word got around.

"H-Hai, I'm alright!" Nodoka replied nervously, glancing up at a vaguely familiar building before turning her attention back to Yang. "I'm fine, really."

"You almost got flattened by a Beringel. I'd call that _far _from 'fine'," Yang huffed. "So… What are you doing out _here_?" she asked glancing up at the nearby building. A building Jack had been admitted to several times since knowing him.

"O-Oh… well…"

"The boy who saved her was admitted after the fighting stopped. He just… _collapsed _after finishing that thing off," Yue hummed curtly.

"Oh-_hoh_~" Yang hummed contemplatively. "Looks like we have a maiden in _love _here, don't we~?"

"N-N-N-N-_No_, it's nothing _like _that!" Nodoka yelped, a light dusting visible on her cheeks behind the hair curtaining her face. "I just… wanted to express my _gratitude_, that's all."

"Oh, I _bet _you do~" Yang purred, the girl's face lighting up into a beet-red blush before she promptly fainted, Yue catching her with a grunt as she held the girl's weight from the ground. "Geez, Yue, you are out of _shape_," the blond chided.

"Not all of us can be muscle-freaks like _you_, Yang," Yue quipped back.

"You know you love me," Yang chuckled as she slapped Nodoka lightly on the face, the girl coming to a few seconds later. "So… Nodo-chan, how 'bout we head on upstairs, give your big strong _hero _a 'thank you'~" she said waggling her brow.

"N-N-N-No, really, it's fine!" the girl stammered insistently.

"Sorry! Not taking 'no' for an answer," Yang returned as she hoisted the girl off her feet by the armpits and striding confidently through the automated doors of the hospital, Yue training tiredly behind the two.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Meanwhile...

"Doctor, what's his condition?" Glynda questioned after the preliminary examination.

"_Physically _he's fine, not a scratch on him," the male doctor replied.

"But…?"

"But… He has yet to regain consciousness. Or rather, he _is _conscious, but isn't capable of moving. His pupils are still dilating, but if he's _cognizant_, he isn't able to express it."

"So then you don't know the _cause _of it?"

"Unfortunately, no. Whatever caused him to lose consciousness like this, it's outside my field of expertise," the doctor replied sadly.

"Outside of _his _maybe, but not _mine_," a new voice said haughtily, Glynda looking over her shoulder before her eyelids fell into a disgruntled half-stare.

"Veronica…"

"That's _Doctor _Veronica to you, Goodwitch," the woman replied, adjusting half-framed glasses as the other woman facially expressed her distaste for her current attire.

Outside of her surgical scrubs, the woman's fiery hair was let loose, the longest of it spilling over her right shoulder, the middle-longest loch spilling down over the right side of her face, with a shorter loch spilling down her hair between her eyes, the hair framing her face brushed outward like phoenix feathers.

Her attire consisted of black chicken-themed slippers with white eyes, dark-brown stockings, a large white lab coat with a gold epaulets and a billowing collar with gold trim, red inner lining, black streaks running downward, and white bands criss-crossing it in a vaguely woven grid-like pattern, two small bands of silver circling the coat around the small of her back. Beneath the lab coat she wore a baggy black-and-white striped zip-up top, the zipper undone well beneath her bosom leaving much of her cleavage exposed, only _barely _preserving enough of her modesty to prevent from being obscene. Black circular half-frame glasses framing her eyes, a diamond-shaped sapphire dangled from a diamond-shaped golden crown running down the top of her head, while from her left ear dangled a silver three-linked chain, a similar sapphire suspended in the link dangling from her ear while the one on the bottom had a small arrow shape.

"_Doctor_, Veronica. What are you doing here? And dressed like _that _no less?" the blond bit out.

"What, you mean _this?_" Dr. Veronica asked, placing a hand upon her bountiful cleavage, each mountainous peak nearly the size of her head. "I don't think _you're _in any position to be mocking my fashion sense, Ms. Cleavage Window," the big-bosomed doctor taunted in turn.

"The amount of cleavage I show is _tasteful_. What _you _show can only be described as _obscene_!"

"_I _don't see any nips poking out, do _you_?" the woman asked turning to the other doctor.

"Well, um, no, not really," the doctor stammered nervously, his eyes darting between the floor and the other woman's cleavage. "I'm uh… just going to go…" he said, excusing himself before he was _caught _staring.

"You know, we're a lot alike, Goodwitch. You turn men to ice, I turn them to _stone_," Dr. Veronica chuckled, well aware of the affect she had on the opposite, and even the _same_, gender.

"Just tell me why you're here before you offend anyone _else_," Glynda bit out.

"It's about the combat prosthesis grafted to the young man's body," Dr. Veronica said inclining her head to the door. "As the world's leading expert of Eldecraft, I have sufficient reason to believe that to be what it's made of."

"For the record, you're the _only _'expert' on Eldecraft," Glynda huffed dismissively.

"And yet the contents of the Vaults now-discovered across Remnant have proved numerous earlier hypotheses of mine to be _fact _rather than mere theory or flights of fantasy," Dr. Veronica replied haughtily.

"You're just going to ride that _forever_, aren't you?" Glynda questioned angrily.

"Only as long as I feel like it," the busty doctor chuckled. "So… Are you going to let me _in_, or not?"

"I'd have to go with _'not'_," Glynda replied coldly. "I don't want you corrupting his common sense while he's still in this vulnerable phase."

"Well it's a good thing I don't _need _your permission, now do I?" the woman chuckled haughtily, the woman across from her bristling. "Oh, don't worry, I won't damage your baby chick if that's what you're worried about."

"Excuse you?"

"Oh come now, don't be so cold. It's obvious you've entered Mother Hen Mode with the boy," the woman chuckled. "Honestly, I think it's really _cute_. You're way too rigid for your health, so I'm _happy _you found an outlet for those maternal instincts you've been burying so long. Uhuhuhuhu~"

This accusation of course caused Glynda to flush in embarrassment.

"Although I shouldn't be surprised _this _is the route you went for. You're way to frigid to get a _man _into your bed, so it only makes _sense _you'd aim for someone _younger_~" Dr. Veronica added mockingly.

Suffice it to say, that comment changed the woman's embarrassment to a cold fury.

"Anyway, you can stay out here and fume, or you can follow me into his room and _'supervise'_. Doesn't matter to me," Dr. Veronica cooed, making air quotes as she strode past the woman and into the aforementioned room, Glynda begrudgingly following after her.

Resting in the room's sole bed was Vincent, clad in a hospital gown with his clothes folded up off to the side; much to her consternation, Glynda noted that the right sleeve of the clothes she'd gotten for him had been burned away. Turning her attention back to her charge, wondering what Ozpin was thinking letting someone so-vulnerable into Beacon grounds proper, apart from his slumbering visage, the woman took note of his chromed arm, still in its gun-arm configuration, though confused as to why the chrome of his forearm had changed to _blue_, even as the metal changed shape and even size.

"Hmmmm…" Dr. Veronica hummed as she slinked over to the bedside, running a slender finger down his chromed limb. "Oh hoh…" Idly, she circled her digit around the barrel of his gun-arm, drinking in every detail with a madness similar to Dr. Stein's own glinting on her lenses. "I see…"

"Well? Are you done yet?" Glynda asked tiredly as the teen's chromed arm was being _fondled_.

"With just a cursory look? Of course not," Dr. Veronica replied with a huff as she drew her Scroll from betwixt her bosom, Glynda huffing in consternation before the woman input a _recall _code.

"Are you out of your _mind_?!" Glynda squawked as the woman's RPL, a garishly-decorated black-and-white unit, sailed through the air toward their third-floor window from the distance.

Vaulting across the bed and throwing up a telekinetic barrier and shielding her eyes from any glass that might make its way around the barrier, after several seconds she blinked confusedly when there _was _no crash. Hazarding a glance upward, the woman's eyes went wide as, instead of the locker crashing into the room through the window, it was instead hovering just outside, a number of perpendicular verniers keeping it stabilized.

"You mean you _weren't _going to have that thing come in here?" Glynda asked aloud, half-relieved, half-confused.

"Who do you take me for? _Brick_?" the woman asked as she reached into the floating locker and extracted an implement from it; an ornate black staff with numerous gold decorations around the shaft and on the pommel, an angular gyroscope-like implement with angular hexagonal rings and ornamental spikes with a blue sphere in the center set onto the head. "Now, stand back please while I do my work," she said pushing the woman aside, her RPL returning to its launch coordinates behind her.

Holding the end of her staff over the slumbering teen's shoulder, the blue sphere within it glowed before a ray of light shot out of it, fanning outward into a triangular shape. Running the staff down the chromed arm like a scanner, a rectangular screen appeared above the scanning ray, streams of data rolling down it at a pace no Human could possibly comprehend. The scanner finally roving over the end of the gun-arm barrel, Dr. Veronica set the staff down onto the floor before adopting a thoughtful pose, the staff remaining perfectly erect even as the woman propped one arm with her hand and stroking her chin with the other. For several minutes Dr. Veronica scrolled down the data on the screen being presented to her, idly flicking a scrolling bar with her finger and humming to herself, nodding on occasion.

"Ah, _there's _the problem," Dr. Veronica hummed with a nod. "See this here?" she asked bringing up an impossibly-complex molecular schematic on her staff's holo-screen that Glynda couldn't even _possibly _begin to comprehend. "This is the energy readout for the onboard Nano Forge, and _these _are the claytronic subroutines," she said pointing to different parts of the readout as she expanded the screen to include and impossibly-complex string of code and subroutines, prattled off as-casually as one talking about the weather. "When the system finally rebooted after placing itself in Stasis Lock for auto-repair, that spooling process expended most of the on-board power supply as various combat systems were brought back online. Combined with the energy expended in combat _after _the fact, and the construct was forced to rely on _chemical _energy instead to undergo final self-calibrations to accommodate updated user preferences."

"Nano forge…? Claytronics…?" the confused woman said rolling the words over her tongue. "…What?"

"Oh don't you worry your pretty little head over it. It's outside your field of expertise anyhow," Dr. Veronica hummed, dismissively waving her hand like one would dismissing a toddler. "Let's just say that whoever designed this implement wanted it to be _very _versatile, and were still in the process of solving the energy draw before he landed in our laps. They solved the problem surrounding the buildup of _glial _tissue, but I'm not completely sure _how_. Hmmmm. Work for another day I suppose," she muttered to herself as she lifted the arm up, taking some pictures with her Scroll before turning back to the data she'd collected and entered some kind of command string.

The next moment there was the sound of metal sliding against metal as the construct changed from its dark blue to a matte dark-gray, that matte sheen soon transitioning to familiar rings of chrome.

"What did you just _do_?" Glynda gawked, still reeling from the impossible sight before her.

"Oh, just returned his prosthesis to the _default _setting is all. Wouldn't do the poor boy any good to suddenly find himself left-_handed _now would it?" the woman asked, waving off the display like it was nothing special to her.

"What… What _is _this? I mean I know that Collapsible and Foldable Frame technology have become more and more advanced as the years went by, but _this_…? This is on a level completely un_precedented_! The realm of science _fiction_!"

"Which is exactly why you _won't _be sharing this with your little boy-toy _Ironwood _the next time you see him, lest you sentence this poor, innocent, defenseless _child _to being Dr. Stein'd on for the rest of his natural life on a slab somewhere back in Atlas," the woman cooed as she reached down and cradled the boy's head to her ample bosom.

"Did you just use his name as a _verb_?" Glynda asked with a raised brow, before angrily hauling the woman off of him. "And keep those _things _away from him. I won't have you _smothering _him like that."

"Oh, but what a way to go~ Hmhmhm~" the woman chuckled. "Ah, but don't you worry about a thing, I'll be _more _than happy to take on his upbringing in your stead. Give me plenty of time to study the... 'Transformium' his arm is composed of," she said as she groused for a proper term.

The arm itself was _technically _still made of a blend of titanium and other rare and exotic elements from the periodic table suspended in a cellular matrix, but calling it 'Transformium' was a lot swifter in conversation.

"I'm sorry, _what_?" Glynda questioned aloud.

"I mean, based on your earlier dialogue, it seems like caring for him is such a _chore _for you; babysitting Ozzy's new pet project when you could be doing a million better things with your time," the woman shrugged dismissively, palms turned upward. "Of course, since he means so _little _to you, I'll be _more _than happy to be his den mother. Unless... you've actually warmed _up _to the boy," she said leaning forward with a knowing smile.

"What, have you been _watching _me?" Glynda asked with a huff.

"Watching _him_, mostly," Dr. Veronica said jerking a thumb over her shoulder. "Whenever Ozzy takes an interest in someone _directly_, it's always interesting, though that little ball of sugar and ammo he picked up before doesn't really _do it _for me. So, I've taken an interest in _this _little stray," the woman chuckled as she glanced back at Vincent. "So, what do you say? _I _certainly have free time on my hands to look after him."

"How the hell did people like you and _Stein _get tenure?" the woman asked tersely.

"Trade secret, I'm afraid," the woman chuckled with a finger raised to her lips. "So, about the boy's upbringing."

Before the woman could formulate a retort however, there was a knocking at the door.

_"Orderlies," _a muffled voice sounded from the other side.

"Looks like our time's up," Dr. Veronica chuckled as she reclaimed her staff and tossed it out the window, the implement falling a few feet before lazily listing back upward, the woman hopping atop it before flying back to her lab side-saddle.

"Uuugh…" Glynda groaned at the sight, knowing that _someone _out on campus would get the idea in their heads that if a member of the faculty was doing so, _they _could traverse the school ground with their superhuman abilities too.

They had rules against such a thing for a _reason_.

"Vincent…" the woman said giving him one last look. "Good job… on saving that girl," she said with a soft, proud smile as she stepped out, the three orderlies letting her pass with bowed heads before heading in.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"I _literally _cannot believe that just worked," Yue groaned as she and the others removed the masks and caps they'd used to obscure their identities.

"W-Won't we get in trouble for this?" Nodoka asked worriedly.

"Not really. Not as long as we don't get _caught _at least," the blond chuckled before turning back to the bed. "Hey, I _know _this guy!"

"Y-You _do_?"

"Yeah, he's the new RA in our dorm," Yang answered with a nod before looking to the exposed Automail. "Whoa… Now _that's _some high-end hardware. I'm no weapon-nut like my sister, but even _I _can appreciate this sort of craftsmanship," she said walking over, tapping the chromed metal with a finger. "Huh… Weird. It almost feels like _skin_."

"What are you talking about?" Yue asked tiredly.

"I mean… just _look _at it," she said pressing her finger into it, the metal indenting just like a real flesh-and-blood arm would before bouncing back. She tried _pinching _at it, but the metal was too slick for her to get a good grip on him. "And it's _warm _too. That… doesn't really make any sense," she hummed lifting up the hand and holding it against her cheek. "Yeah. Yeah, it's _definitely _warm."

"Okay now I know you're just _screwing _with me."

"A-Actually, I felt it too. When he helped me up," Nodoka answered meekly.

"That… doesn't make _any _sense. Based on thermodynamics alone, his automail arm should be _cold_," Yue huffed.

"Hey, like I said, maybe this is just the really high-end shit," Yang shrugged. "So, you think he can _hear _us?"

"Not sure. Looks like he's _sleeping to me._"

"Hmmm... I wonder what's going through his mind. Oh if _only _we had someone capable of reading _thoughts_~" Yang said in a staged tone. "Oh if _only_~"

"I'm not really sure about this," Nodoka said clutching at her college rule notebook. "It seems a bit invasive."

"Didn't you use your Semblance to read that Beringel's mind earlier?" Yue asked.

"That was _different_," Nodoka huffed. "Grimm don't have 'thoughts', just 'instinct' they act on. For people... for people, it's just _different_, okay? Grimm _aren't _'people'," she objected.

"Oh, come on, don't be such a _stick _in the mud," Yang said patting her on the shoulder. "You _know_~ He might be worried _sick _about you~ No way of knowing unless you c-h-e-c-k~" the blond purred as she tapped the college rule notebook.

Nodoka remained indecisive, at least at _first, _though eventually a blend of Yang's needling and her own curiosity won out over her moral obligation _not _to invade another person's privacy.

Looking down at the clipboard and learning his name for the first time, Nodoka opened her notebook to a fresh page, uttering the boy's name as a lavender Aura flowed from her fingertips into the pages. The next moment, lavender-colored words began to form, scrawling slowly across the lines of the page as though Nodoka _herself _were writing them.

However, like most times she'd used her Semblance on a sleeping person, mostly her friends who insisted she learn the "ins-and-outs" of her Semblance in case it was ever needed for something _critical_, the words her Semblance gleaned were a blurry, garbled, unintelligible mess. Exactly what one would expect when reading the mind of a sleeping person who wasn't _actively _monologuing internally.

However, it wasn't only a person's internal _monologue _that her Semblance could illustrate; it could also craft _images _as well. Albeit, the images her Semblance "drew" were usually simplistic with very poor details; like the lazy doodling of a middle-schooler. Whether the lack of realism was due to her Semblance itself, or something on Nodoka's part was unclear, but since she didn't train her Semblance like Ruby or Yang did theirs, she doubted the opportunity to make her "image mapping" more-crisp would ever come up.

Usually, while her images were crudely-drawn, you could still "see" what someone was imagining. However in _Vincent's _case, what was shown was even _less _than that.

Framed at the top of the page above his written thoughts, or at least the garbled mess that was going through his head, was the image of a tower on an island. However, the image was vague and blurry, almost as though someone had drawn it with charcoal before running the side of their hand across the page. The background itself was a black, blurred mess so you couldn't tell if it was mountains or trees or buildings. What was in the _foreground _was marginally less-blurry, though the exact shape and size of the tower couldn't be distinguished because of the blurry "filter" imposed over everything, and because there was nothing to _scale _it to.

In essence, Vincent's dreams were likely filled with garbled nonsense and a blurry image he wouldn't remember when waking. A note she'd make of later.

"Well _that's _a bummer. And here I was hoping for some juicy details," Yang pouted as Nodoka closed the book, the lavender Aura spilling from her fingertips ceasing as she let out a tired sigh.

While the Aura that Yang had unlocked for her was enough to stop a knife, _maybe _a bullet of the low-caliber variety, using her Semblance ate through what little Aura she had very quickly.

"Still, at least we've ruled out him being _brain dead_," Yue hummed, remembering _that _fact-finding mission.

"That's a relief," Nodoka sighed, "I'm glad he's okay," she added, glancing longingly at the sleeping teen, wringing her hands together.

_Noticing _aforementioned gestures, the blond chuckled as she got the message; loud and clear.

"We'll leave the two of you alone," she said grabbing Yue by the hand and leading her out, leaving Nodoka and her hero alone.

**Cue – Utawarerumono OST – Kimi ga Tame (For Your Sake) by Suara**

"I… I don't know if you can hear me, but…" the bookish girl began nervously as she twit her thumbs, looking down at her slumbering face. "You… You looked really _cool _back then. When you saved me, I mean," she clarified.

Of course, the girl received no reply, instead greeted by the sound of hospital equipment in the background, the silver-haired teen's quieted breathing, and people passing by the room in the hallway.

"I'm… not really good with talking to boys… Not like Haruna and Yang are…" she said idly brushing her hair behind her ear. "So… I guess I'll just come out and say it while you're still sleeping. Before I lose my nerve," she muttered, her face heating up as she slowly leaned toward his sleeping visage. "Thank you… for saving me," she expressed in gratitude as she planted a chaste kiss upon his right cheek.

_***Chu***_

If the following were in animated format, the sound that came next would've caused the running soundtrack to stop with the sound effect of a record being scratched.

_***Click***_

Looking up through the curtain of her hair, Nodoka's eyes went wide as Yang waggled her scroll, the blond peeking in through the door with a shit-eating grin on her face.

"Oh please, don't mind me," the blond said. "You keep on doing you."

"Wha-wha-wha-what are you d-d-d-doing?" the bluenette stammered as she suddenly bolted up straight, back against the window behind her.

"Oh, you know... Just getting some pics ready for Valentine's Day," Yang replied as she held up her scroll, a picture of Nodoka undeniably kissing Vincent on the cheek captured on the screen for posterity. _"I_ ship it~"

She also teased _Blake _about Vincent, but Nodoka being her friend for longer took a little more precedence.

"G-G-G-G-Give tha-tha-that ba-ba-back!" Nodoka cried with a fluorescent red face, scrambling around the bed before chasing hastily after Yang who cackled all the while, Yue trailing behind them with a tired look on her face.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**AN:  
And thus the plot thickens.  
I've finally had the opportunity to put Dr. Veronica Magdanus in her full attire, and while her inclusion in Giant-Slayer hints at potential plot points in the future, since it isn't a 1:1 adaptation, her involvement won't be _completely _the same as it was in Stella Glow.  
**

**Also, since Yang is a bit of a social butterfly compared to Ruby, I widened her circle of friends beyond the "silhouettes" seen in volume one because this offers up potential story avenues that the Canon hasn't been able to provide. I mean, it's like her "friends from Signal" just cease to exist after Episode 2.**

**Anyway, now that this two-parter is complete, I hope to hear from you again in the Review Column. Until next time!**


	10. World of Remnant: Vaults

**Greywing44: **Ahhh. Ahhh. How did I see that Nodoka scene coming? Ah that was great. A nice throw back to the series. I mean the whole nervous around boys thing was never really explored that much, even in the manga. So hopefully we can have some kind of scene where Vincent completely misinterprets her feelings and then has her go on this weird quest to cure her of her phobia of men.  
And I'm ashamed! Ashamed that there was never a question if the arm had a vibrating function! Shame!

**Vincent: **Well _that's _dumb. Why would my arm have a vibrating function if there's no _phone_?

**Caboose: **Yes. People can be really dumb sometimes.

**NeoNazo356: **Oh god, it's _spreading_. Reinforcing Fourth-Wall Buffers!

**Blaze1992: **Okay that was weird

**NeoNazo356: **Better "weird" than "boring". Which the last two Volumes of RWBY have admittedly been a bit of. I mean, sure, the fight against Adam at the end of Volume 7 was pretty good, but that was because it was _Monty's _old work. Everything else dragged and between info dumps I was bored to tears.

_***WORLD OF REMNANT***_

As long as man has had material possessions, there has been a need to secure them; to lock them away from the greedy eyes and hands of others. Some would keep their valuables on their person, some would hide them in their homes, some would bury them in the ground, and some would even trust something as flimsy as "self-restraint" to protect their valuables from others.

However, the greatest secret-keeper of all, at least in recent years, have been the Vaults scattered across Remnant.

In no way am I referring to something as mundane as the ones you'd put in a wall behind a painting, or set into the floor. I instead refer to the ancient "tombs of steel and iron", scattered across the known world.

Hence why _this _type of Vault is in the _proper tense _with a capital-V.

In essence, Vaults in the proper tense are massive underground "dungeons" or "labyrinths" built of steel, iron, glass, and plastic, containing relics of the past in varying degrees of preservation from perfectly-pristine to completely decayed. Some contained artwork, weapons, food, machinery, but some even contained _people_.

Mind you, most of those discovered in Vaults were _dead _people. A certain eccentric doctor even postulated that the verse "man, born from dust" might not be meant to be taken literally as man being "spontaneously borne from the earth", but as a _metaphor _for ancient man instead of rising from the earth, that they rose instead out of the _Vaults_ they were once held within.

The prevailing consensus about the Vaults is that, if anything, they are merely the remnant of an ancient "super civilization" predating Remnant's recorded history, though religious factions heavily refute claims that modern Humans (and by extension Faunus) are truly the descendants of any sort of Precursor, Lemurian, Onvitaikayan, etc.

Though wars of science and religion have clashed ever since the first of the Vaults were unearthed from their subterranean tombs, undeniable evidence linking the ancient past to the present lies in Eldscript, and its rather _uncanny _resemblance to modern-day languages. While some forms of Eldscript are completely indecipherable, the fact that others resemble and translate-into modern language _perfectly _gives credence to theories of man being born from Vaults, though religious figures have attempted to suppress this information as much as they have been able.

However, it is not always the _historical _value of undisturbed Eldscript that compels "Vault Hunters" to hazard the dangers of the frontier. More than anything, it is the prospect of uncovering a cashe of Eld_craft _that draws the academically virtuous, and the materialistically avaritic, to pursue the Vaults.

Eldcraft in its simplest terms are anachronisms. Samples of technology and wonders of science that completely eclipse those possessed by the modern world. Any form of Eldcraft discovered _intact _is enough to set a man for life, though the temptations of greed and the claws of avarice have caused many an adventurer to turn on their fellows, often leaving Eldcraft undisturbed in the end, albeit exposed to the elements once the Vault's doors have been breached.

Throughout the ages, Eldcraft revealed such wonders as advancements in chemistry, botany, agriculture, metallurgy, mathematics, and other sciences that greatly advanced the understanding of whatever civilizations could uncover them. However, it was the material, or rather, the _weaponized _treasures of the ancient world, that became the most sought-after.

And were often the most self-destructive.

In ancient Mistral, a certain country utilized "Steel Golems" as weapons of war, laying waste to all in their wake. All hope of resisting these massive automata seemed lost. However, when that certain country began tampering with forces beyond their understanding, the "Abh-kamu" as they came to be known through their conquest, turned on their former masters, doing unto them what they'd ordered done unto others, until eventually, the Abh-kamu grew silent, and were henceforth sealed away evermore.

These "Steel Golems", now inert have, after deciphering the Eldscript surrounding them, been re-classified as the "Abel Heavy Industries Kamul Type-3 Protective Exoskeleton". Due to their hearty construction, it was speculated that the Kamul Type-3s were utilized in only the most _extreme _of conditions, to carry out tasks that would prove impossible if not outright _fatal _to the unfortified.

Whatever these conditions _were _that warranted creations so powerful and so stalwart, yet being mass-produced in such a way, has been lost to time despite historians' best efforts.

Because of the danger that Eldcraft could wreak in unchecked hands, it was thusly declared by international law that all Vaults and their contents wherewithal, upon discovery, were to be formally divulged so that all nations may benefit from this ancient wisdom.

However, by equal measure, it became no small secret that whenever they could, any country or organization that could _conceal _its ownership of Eldcraft would in turn use it to advance their own sciences; so as to gain the advantage over other nations. Allegedly, Atlas' military might can be contributed _heavily _to monopolized Eldcraft, though without sufficient evidence, no formal inquiries to the nature of these claims can be made, and thus such theories have become the realm of conspiracy and pure conjecture.

It thus goes without saying that the contents of the Vaults scattered across Remnant can both be amazing and terrifying windows into the kind of world that might have existed in the ancient past.

Just what untold wonders and horrors await those that would discover them?

What effect will the Eldscript and Eldcraft of the ancient world have on the future?

Peace? War? Heaven? Hell? As it ever is, the future on the distant horizon remains clouded, and uncertain.

But _that_, is a story for another day.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**AN:  
The Fanon that I imply with this "World of Remnant" special was conceived **_**well **_**prior to ****RWBY**** Volume 6, Episode 3: The Lost Fable. While the fable of Salem and Ozma will not be 1:1 in ****Giant-Slayer****, I have no intention of **_**discarding **_**this storied past of theirs, though my Beta had already speculated that Ozpin and Salem had a warped "Link & Zelda"-like relationship well before "The Lost Fable" hit the net.**

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and look forward to hearing from you soon.**


	11. Window Dressing

**Blaze1992: **So what their are survivors of one of the advanced future earths?

**NeoNazo356: **Maybe. Maybe not. What the previous "World of Remnant" introduced was the _possibility_. Whether that possibility is any possibility at _all _or just another dead cat, has yet to be seen until the "box" is "opened".  
For a long time, there was no _definitive _history of Remnant, so well before "The Lost Fable" I came up with the idea that, instead of a "Magical Hierarchy" kind of setting (like what became in the Canon), it was instead, _originally_, a super-futuristic setting that reached its apex and fell, with only ruins and "a lucky few" surviving into the then-modern day to repopulate; like Destiny whose story I enjoyed before the bubble burst.  
Glad I didn't buy into Anthem or Fallout 76 as-easily as I had Destiny, because those games flopped, and they flopped _hard_!

**TM11: **Was it me or did the silver glow of Vincent's eyes seem like the glow of a Maiden's eyes? He was even controlling nature like a Maiden, so... Either someone found out a way to steal a Maiden's powers and somehow make it work for men, or he has something similar. Then again, you did mentioned "dimensions" when replying to my previous review so, possible dimensional jumper from a more advanced version of Remnant that has Maiden powers or something similar? Maybe his mother is a Maiden and he got similar powers but more limited.

**NeoNazo356:**_ Aesthetically_ the similarities were drawn and addressed in the prequel, and while he _is _wielding the Wind element _like _a Maiden can, the hints at his origin are being sprinkled around, and the "cipher" to decode it will probably come to be... _next _chapter.  
Love that you're so-invested you're concocting theories, and I'm looking forward to more Reviews in the future.

_***WINDOW DRESSING***_

Morning light landing upon closed eyelids, Vincent rolled over tiredly in his sleep, back turned to the window. Scratching idly at his cheek, his eyes widened and he sat upright.

"Holy crap! My _arm's _back to normal!"

Yesterday's events had been such a blur he'd almost _forgotten _the metamorphosis the mysterious chromed limb grafted to his body had undergone. Turning it over, no evidence of its previous configuration remained, yet the very evidence of the hospital bed he now lay in was proof enough that the previous day's happenings were not in fact, any sort of dream.

This did of course, leave Vincent with a much _greater _concern.

"Oh crap! Glynda's going to _kill _me!" the odd-eyed teen cried as he beheld the ruined state of his shirt's right sleeve, a singed ring marring his vest as well. "Not good…" he shuddered, remembering Wok's lessons about never, _ever_, damaging clothes bought for him by a woman.

_Especially _by a woman.

"Oh, you're awake!" a new presence said, revealing itself; an orderly on the early-morning shift responding to the sudden outburst of noise. "Are you unwell? Do you hurt anywhere?"

"Ah… No… I'm fine…" Vincent replied, his stomach gurgling a moment later. "I _do _appear to be a bit hungry though," he hummed.

"I see. I will bring you some food right away," the orderly replied. "Wait here, please. I'll let Ms. Goodwitch know you're awake."

_***WINDOW DRESSING***_

"HOW COULD YOU DO SOMETHING SO _FOOLHARDY_!?" Glynda demanded angrily, Vincent cowed to his bed as the woman continued to berate him, his breakfast growing cold upon his tray as her narrowed eyes pinioned him in place. "NOT ONLY DID YOU DISOBEY MY DIRECT ORDER TO STAY PUT UNTIL I RETURNED, YOU PUT YOURSELF IN HARM'S WAY AS WELL!"

"I..." he spoke up.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT COULD'VE HAPPENED TO YOU? YOU COULD'VE BEEN _KILLED_!"

"I know that, but-" he said only to be cut off.

"WELL?! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF!?"

"IF _YOU _IDIOTS COULD WORK A FUCKING _LATCH_, MAYBE I WOULDN'T HAVE _HAD _TO PUT MYSELF IN HARM'S WAY!" Vincent found himself shouting.

Suffice it to say, Glynda was _not _prepared for the well-behaved amnesiac to respond in such a way.

Nor did she expect the tears that stung at the corners of his eyes.

" . . . I see…" the woman admitted, her anger momentarily abated by the passionated point that had been made. "Admittedly, you are not _solely _at fault for yesterday's proceedings. Though let it be known that Port was _substantially _reprimanded for allowing you to become involved to that extreme a measure," she went on to say.

"That girl that I helped out… Is she okay?"

"Ms. Miyazaki…? Yes, as I recall, she was completely unharmed aside from a few scrapes and bruises from crawling about the ground like that," Glynda replied, recalling the accident report. "I should also let you know that you need not concern yourself with future Grimm outbreaks on school grounds. We are already investigating the root of yesterday's accident, so you need not concern yourself about it."

"Don't worry…" Vincent said turning to his possessions; in particular, the red-and-gold coin glinting in the morning light. "I believe I'm occupied-enough as it is."

"That is good to hear," Glynda replied. "For the time being, I'll arrange a tour of our faculty staff so you can network with your peers in the event you require assistance in your capacities as a Room Advisor. In the _immediate _future however…" she said turning her gaze toward the ruined clothes on the bedside.

_***WINDOW DRESING***_

"Back so soon?" Elisa asked cheekily from behind the counter.

"Unfortunately, yes," Glynda hummed tiredly. "As you can _see_…" she said bringing yesterday's outfit on a hanger into view with her Semblance, "Vincent managed to… _damage_ his first outfit within a day of owning it."

"Well, if people took perfect care of their clothes all the time, us seamstresses would be out of a job," the woman chuckled, taking the outfit into her hand and noting the completely absent right sleeve, in addition to the circular char mark at the shoulder, a smaller amount of charring on the vest as well. "I have just the alternative," she said after a few moments. "Vincent, if you could step into the changing room and hand me your shirt and vest, I'll make the necessary alterations."

"Okey-dokie!" Vincent replied happily, stepping behind the curtain and holding his clothes out for the woman to take.

Elisa, stepping back into her studio, laid the articles of fresh clothing out on the table. Flexing her Aura, near-invisible threads from the tips of her fingers lanced into the clothing, her Aura spreading through the fabric as she took hold of every individual stitch and seam, the right sleeve coming free without any marring.

Nodding in satisfaction of her work, the woman reached into a climate-controlled drawer and drew out a spool of cyan-colored thread, glinting softly in the light. Aura funneling into it, the end of the thread came to life like a serpent, the woman letting out a contented sigh as she got to work on her _true _passion.

_***WINDOW DRESSING***_

A few minutes later, Elisa returned, two articles of clothing folded over her arms.

"I made some adjustments to today's outfit," the woman began, handing the folded shirt and vest through the curtain, Vincent stepping out a moment later. "As you can clearly see, instead of trying to _conceal _your Automail, I decided to _emphasize _it, adding a nice circuit-like pattern to the hem to tie _it _and your outfit together," she announced as Vincent's arm of ringed chrome gleamed completely uninhibited, a ring of chrome-colored circuit-like lines at the root of where his sleeve used to be standing out, ensuring that _some _attention was drawn away from the arm itself and back to the outfit. "The area around your shoulder has been similarly reinforced with Cyan Dust Thread so any overheating in the future won't cause damage to the pristine visage of your attire. All of this without sacrificing maneuverability or comfort."

"Cool," Vincent hummed as he rolled his shoulder. Before today, he always wanted to _conceal _his chromed arm because of the uncomfortable looks people gave him. However _now_, for some explicable reason, thanks to a few small alterations he was suddenly much more _comfortable _in his own skin.

Even if said skin gleamed like chrome.

"What's _that_?" Glynda asked, her attention turned to the black cloth draped over Elisa's other arm.

"I'm _glad _you asked," the woman replied, the glint in her eyes causing a shudder to go up Glynda's back as the swatch of cloth was suddenly unfurled to full size, draped upon Vincent's right shoulder and falling into place over his arm. "Ta-daaaah~"

_"Oh god…" _Glynda groaned as she saw just _what _had been draped over Vincent's chromed arm.

Now-draped over the teen's right shoulder was a mantle of black lined with royal purple, secured in such a way that it concealed his chromed arm from sight, yet arranged in such a way that he could shrug it away at a moment's notice. Embossed upon it was an emblem similar to Glynda's own, though in place of a golden tiara, it was instead a crown of gleaming silver with an exquisite sheen. In place of the diamond-shaped bronze beads of Glynda's own cloak were diamond-shaped beads of silver, the cut of the cape itself more "feathery" than "flames and arrows".

Suffice it to say, Glynda flushed red at the implications. Though the ornamentation was undeniably different, it was undeniably inspired by _her _attire, further linking the two's aesthetics.

"Oooooooh…" Vincent cooed in awe as he flapped his mantle about. "It's so light! And I _love _the cut!"

"Hmhmhm… Not only is it visually impressive, but _functionally _as well," Elisa chuckled. "Since it seems like your Automail gives off a lot of heat when it transforms, at least as I've heard, I added some Cyan Dust to the fabric to make it extra sturdy, and the Ethersilk I've added will strengthen it even further like armor when your Aura is channeled through it."

"That's great!" Vincent replied with a smile, momentarily forgetting he didn't _have _any Aura as he admired his mantle.

"Something like this… There's no way you just _happened _to have this lying around your studio…" Glynda muttered lowly as she contemplated the addition of Dust and Ethersilk in her mind. "You _planned _for this, didn't you?"

"Why, whatever do you mean, Glynda? I'm just really good at my _job_. _That's _all," the woman chuckled. "It's just a happy _coincidence _that the two of you match~" she cooed.

"Happy coincidence my _as_-"

"Language!" Vincent suddenly chided, causing the woman to flush. "This is so _nice_! Thank you! But… what's the cost?" he then asked worriedly.

"Don't worry about it. It's all going on Ozpin's tab."

_'Well at least _some _good came out of the exchange,' _Glynda sighed.

"Come back in a few days and I should have more mantles ready. One for every day of the week, _just _like Glynda~"

_'I take it back. This is awful. This is _all _awful,' _Glynda groaned as Vincent twirled innocently, his new mantle fluttering at his side like a bird's wing.

_***WINDOW DRESSING***_

Parting ways from Glynda, who in light of the recent incident still had plenty of work on her plate, Vincent made his way into the massive library on Beacon grounds, a hushed silence washing over him after the double doors closed at his back. So-focused was he on his _own _pending task, that he was even more oblivious to the glancings of the opposite sex than he was _yesterday_.

Making his way to the front desk, he saw a figure huddled behind a book, their face obscured from view as they took full advantage of the silence.

Stopping in front of the desk, Vincent waited patiently for them to reach a stopping point, not wishing to interrupt them.

Mind wandering, odd-colored eyes glanced up at the massive shelves soaring high above the ground on each visible floor, the open air and high ceiling making the building look impossibly large.

After an indeterminate amount of time had passed with the figure in front of him still glued to their book, a chromed hand idly went for the small bell off to the side, the small _***ding* **_sounding much-louder within the quiet halls of the library.

The individual before him yelping in an undignified shriek, the book they held soared high into the air as they floundered, flailing legs and striped panties momentarily coming into view as the figure tumbled onto their back.

"S-S-Sorry! Sorry!" the figure apologized hastily from behind a curtain of hair as they righted their chair. "I didn't see you there and-V-V-_Vincent_!" a familiar girl suddenly yelped.

"SHHHH!" passerby hushed, the girl in question flushing red at the sudden attention directed her way before she peeked through her bangs up at her savior.

"Y-Y-You're awake? So soon?" Nodoka asked shyly, her knuckles turning bone-white behind the counter.

"Yeah. Just a little tired, was all," Vincent replied. "What about you? Are _you _okay?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

"H-Hai. I'm okay," Nodoka replied meekly, a warmth spreading across her chest. "I didn't get the chance to tell you in person, but thank you. For saving me."

"You're welcome," Vincent returned with a bright smile.

"So… um… Is there anything specific you're looking for?" Nodoka asked.

The only reason one would come to the library was to find a _book_. Obviously.

That or play board games.

"Do you think you could tell me what language this is in?" he asked fishing his red-and-gold coin from his shirt and turning it over in his hand, leaning forward to give the girl a closer look.

"Hmmm…" the bookworm hummed as she eyed the characters engraved in what was contextually the "tails" side of the coin. "It looks… Chinese. _Early _Chinese, bordering on ancient. Maybe fifteen-hundred years ago but I can't be too sure."

"I see. I see," Vincent hummed. Nodoka, looking up through her bangs, realized how close they'd gotten, reeling back and causing her chair to tip once again. "Ah! I've got you!" Vincent yelped, his hand of chrome flying out of his mantle and snagging the girl by the wrist before he could fall, her voyage halted before the point of no return.

Nodoka however, a fit of androphobia welling up within her, reeled _away _from him out of reflex, the combined leverage afforded to her by her chair allowing her to unconsciously pull Vincent over the counter.

"Nodoka. I'm back from break. It's your turn to-"

Yue's comment was cut short at the sight that greeted her; a swirly-eyed Nodoka laid out on her back with the object of her affection sprawled out atop her, his face planted firmly within her budding bosom, Nodoka's hands fisting his hair and the back of his vest between his shoulder blades.

" . . . I'll just come back later," Yue said calmly after a moment.

"W-Wait! This is all a misunderstanding!" Nodoka cried as her friend backed away.

"SHHHHHHHH!"

_***WINDOW DRESSING***_

_'That was so embarrassing…' _Nodoka whimpered to herself a minute later, her movements stiff and robotic as she led Vincent towards the part of the library dominated by Japanese/Chinese texts. _'I'm just glad no-one _else _was there to _see _that…'_

"Thank you for leading the way," Vincent spoke up after a while. "With how big this library is, I'm afraid I might get terribly lost."

"I-It's o-okay, n-no need to thank m-m-me…" Nodoka croaked out, her face a furious shade of red behind her curtain of bangs. "So… You're looking for old Chinese books, then. Do you know what you're looking for?"

"Wellll…" Vincent hummed as he looked at the shelves filled with book spines marked with Chinese characters. "I guess I'll know when I find it," he admitted, drinking in the daunting task ahead of him. "I should be fine on my own. Thank you for all the help."

"Y-You're welcome," Nodoka replied as Vincent walked off toward the nearest book, and cracked it open.

_***WINDOW DRESSING***_

" . . . "

Head peeked around the shelf a distance away, Nodoka lost track of just how-long she'd been observing Vincent in his quest for knowledge.

It wasn't immediately evident if he could actually _read_ the Chinese characters in those books, but as he leafed rapidly through the pages, his eyes darted frantically, hungrily drinking everything they could in. Once he reached the end of his chosen book, it was placed back in the shelf gingerly before he drew the neighboring book, and repeated the process.

At first, Nodoka was unsure just _what _Vincent was looking for, but the fact that he _continued _to skim through books, one after the other, was evidence enough that what he was looking for had yet to be found. That he skimmed _literal _shelves-worth of books indicated whatever he _was _looking for, at the least, was tremendously important to him.

After who knows how long, Vincent had leafed through dozens if not _hundreds _of books, his face scrunching up with each failure to find what he was seeking, yet even still he continued in his unknown endeavor.

"So, going into creepy stalker mode _already_, eh Nodo-chan? Didn't know you had it in ya."

"Y-Yang!?" Nodoka yelped as she whirled around. "What are _you _doing here?"

"Oh, me and the gang decided to get some studying in," she said jerking a thumb over her shoulder, indicating towards Ruby and Weiss at one of the vacant tables.

"Why do we have to sit inside and study? It's such a beautiful _day _out!"

"I think you know _precisely _why, Ruby. It's because you're falling behind in class! It will affect the team as a whole if this continues."

"I skipped a whole year of classes, you know. I'm not _stupid_!"

"No one said you were. But you're not going anywhere until we're done."

"You are the devil, Weiss. The devil," Ruby moaned as her nose was forced into a textbook.

"What about you? What are _you _up to?" Yang asked.

"_Me_? Oh… Nothing," Nodoka deflected.

"_Nothing_, huh?" Yang hummed thoughtfully as she leaned forward. "Doesn't _look _like nothing," the blond purred as her eyes darted over Nodoka's shoulder to the object of her attention, still skimming the countless books.

"I-I can explain!"

"No need, no need. I'm just glad you aren't scared stiff of _men _anymore," Yang said with a smile.

"I-I'm still afraid of _men_," Nodoka countered as she nervously tapped her fingers together. "Just… not _him_ as much as the others…" she trailed off she said glancing his way.

"Sooo… Just how long have you been _stalking _him?"

"I-I was not _stalking _him! I was just… making sure he was finding everything he was looking for."

"Uh huh…" Yang nodded, completely unconvinced. "So _how-long _exactly have you been 'making sure he was finding everything he was looking for'?" she reiterated making air-quotes.

Glancing down at her wrist, Nodoka's face erupted into a freshened crimson blush before she tore her eyes away.

If Yang knew just _how _long she'd been not-stalking him, she'd never live to hear the end of it.

She was still hearing about other stuff _now_.

"Man, Nodo-chan, you fell for this guy _hard_, didn't ya?" Yang asked amidst her thoughts. "I don't need to worry about you using your Semblance for anything… _pervy_, do I~?"

"N-N-N-N-_No_! Of _course _not!" Nodoka cried, frantically trying to hide the college rule notebook she had on her person.

Vincent's thoughts up to that point had been snippets like, "Nope", "Nuh-uh", "Not this one either", and so-on as he skimmed countless volumes of Chinese books, his mind's eye dominated by the likeness of the old coin dangling from his neck, while next to it was a caricature of him leaping a tremendous height, an arrow accentuating the crudely-drawn scene.

That his thoughts weren't _wandering _as he worked was pretty interesting, because on the few times she'd used her Semblance on passerby to figure out all the "rules" surrounding her Semblance, the minds she'd read _always _wandered, filled with a smattering of jibberish, lyrics, or musical scores.

It was like half the time his mind was a complete blank; totally zen.

"Hmmm…" Vincent hummed loudly as he skimmed yet another tome in a long line of many, _many _Chinese books. "Wait a minute." He stopped, flipping back a few pages. "Yes!" he whooped, pumping his fist with a grin visible on his side profile. "I found it! I _finally _found it!"

"SSHH!"

"Well, looks like _he _found what he was looking for," Yang hummed before a muted noise sounded from by the windows, Vincent's eyes turning up and down the aisle, narrowing.

The next moment his eyes went wide, the book he held falling from his hands as he sprinted down the aisle, shelves shuddering and books threatening to fall from their homes as silver spilled from his eyes.

The next moment there was a deafening _***CRASH***_, followed by the tinkling of breaking glass, a panic welling up in Nodoka causing her to run over to the far wall, one of the windows completely destroyed as though something had crashed through it.

Running up to the next-nearest window and opening it up with her key, the frantically-nervous girl peeked her head out into the open air and looked around, eyes darting before they landed upon a set of disturbed bushes at ground level.

Sprawled out across a bush that lay utterly destroyed beneath him was Vincent, eyes swirling though still-conscious despite the landing. Sprawled atop _him _was a second-year student, a Rabbit Faunus girl with deep brown hair and eyes, which were staring out widely with nary a scratch on her.

"V-Vincent!" Nodoka cried out. "Are you okay!"

"I can't feel my legs."

This elicited a gasp from those nearby.

"No wait. There they are," he amended. "Ahhhhhhh…" he moaned pitiably as his leg twitched.

"You… You _saved _me?" Velvet gaped as she looked up at him.

"Oww. I think there's _glass _in my hair."

At that, Velvet began fussing over him, carefully picking glass shards from his platinum lochs while up above, Nodoka let out a relieved sigh, falling to her knees.

_***WINDOW DRESSING***_

Terrence being the only one uninvolved with the quote/unquote "altercation" between Team DIRT and Velvet, was able to wash his hands of the whole affair as the bulk of his team got beat up by the second-year Team CFVY. Velvet herself, not really one for interpersonal violence, instead chose to tend to Vincent's wounds; mainly scrapes and bruising from the fall _into _the foliage at the base of the library wall.

Leaping through a window was one thing, through a pane of reinforced glass quite another. However, it was something else _entirely _when you jump out a window after someone, _after _they've already fallen through, and you're _still _able to catch up to them. Vincent cushioning Velvet's fall with his own body was simply the icing on the cake to the dumbfounded spectators.

And the rescued individual in question.

"I could've handled that _myself _you know…" Velvet murmured as she applied a bandage to the odd-eyed teen's cheek.

"Sorry. My body just moved on its own," Vincent replied in turn, picking leaves and twigs out of his clothes.

"Why go so far for me, anyway?" she asked.

"Do I need a reason to want to help people?" Vincent asked honestly, so-honestly in fact that Velvet couldn't help but blush.

" . . . Thank you," she eventually replied. "I'm Velvet."

"And I'm Vincent. A pleasure to meet you."

"Vincent? As in Vincent _Valentine_?"

"You know me?"

"I know _of _you," Velvet replied. "Is it _true _that Professor Goodwitch adopted you as her own?" she asked eyeing his attire, drawing immediate comparisons between the two.

"I don't know about all _that_," Vincent replied. "One time I called Glynda 'mom' instead of 'ma'am', and the headmaster seemed to think it was a good idea, so I just stick with 'mom'."

"Ah, I see," Velvet hummed. "Ms. Goodwitch _does _look a lot happier nowadays."

"You really think so?" Vincent asked with a tilt of his head. "I never noticed."

"I do. _Plus_, I think the two of you look _cute _together. Like you're really parent and child, dressed to match like that," Velvet chuckled.

"You know, everyone keeps _saying _that, but I still don't get it-ow!" he winced as he rubbed the back of his head, drawing his hand back to find a sliver of glass sticking out of his flesh-and-blood palm.

"You _know_…" Yang hummed from on high as she and Nodoka watched the proceedings below. "That should be _you _down there, tending his wounds like that. Getting _close _to him~"

"Why? So you can snap more _blackmail _of me?" Nodoka asked tiredly.

The day before she'd chased Yang across nearly half the Beacon grounds, and she had _not _been happy with being toyed with.

"No. Because the way things are going, 'Harem-kun' down there will have a bona-fide _bunny girl _gunning for him."

"Harem…kun…?" Nodoka asked confusedly, tasting the weird term in her mouth.

"Hey, it sounds better then _'Triangle-chan'_," Yang chuckled, wondering what a love triangle between the enigmatic Vincent, the antisocial Blake, and the bookish Nodoka would look like. "By the way, didn't he _drop _something a minute ago?"

"O-Oh! Right!" Nodoka's eyes widened in realization, the girl scurrying to where he'd last stood, the tome he'd been reading on the ground where it'd fallen.

Brushing off a bit of dust with the back of her hand, the girl skimmed through the book revealing what appeared to be a book about Chinese legends chronicling the tales of a warrior monk fighting an evil witch; the stories dated fifteen-hundred years ago if she was reading the characters correctly.

"A Chinese storybook?" Yang asked looking over the bluenette's shoulder as she eyed the fantastical images within. "Why would he be interested in something like _that_?"

"I didn't think to ask him."

"Because you were too busy _stalking _him?"

"Yes. I mean no! I mean- Ugh…" the girl groaned, hoping the days of teasing would end soon.

Long story short; they would not.

Short story long; Yang would continue to rib and tease Nodoka relentlessly and unceasingly until the day the shy bookworm finally rallied every bold, courageous, and impulsive womanly instinct in her body together towards the goal of seducing Vincent and proceeding to ruin other women for him.

But _that_, was a story for another day.

_***WINDOW DRESSING***_

Once all the hubbub surrounding the altercation between Teams DIRT and CFVY had died down, all parties involved went their separate ways. Coco went off to once again drill into Velvet's head the necessity of standing up for herself, while Vincent returned to the library hoping to find the one book he'd been searching for.

Finding the space he recalled dropping the book unoccupied, he skimmed the nearby shelves for the now-familiar spine, hoping someone had put it back on the shelf after he'd leaft, only to not find it there.

A defeated sigh passing his lips, though not regretting his own course of action, he put his hand in his pocket, Automail arm dangling loosely within his new mantle, and made his way back to his room.

Unbeknownst to him, he had a pair of tails; Nodoka Miyazaki, and Yang Xiao Long. The two of them kept a respectable, discrete distance behind him, far-enough back that he wouldn't immediately recognize him if he turned around, but close-enough they could still bridge the gap if he rounded a corner.

"So… You going to give the book to him or not?" Yang asked glancing at the book clutched in the girl's arms.

"I-I'm just waiting for the right moment,' Nodoka replied meekly, tightening her hold on it as the two trailed after him, drawing weird looks from passerby.

"So… Hate to watch him _leave_, but love to watch him _go_, huh~?" Yang asked with a brow-waggle as Nodoka drank in the sight of Vincent's tight-cut pants from the rear.

"Yeah~" Nodoka sighed wistfully before realizing who was next to her. "No wait-"

"Hey!" Yang suddenly called out Vincent's way, lilting her voice into a softer tone more like Nodoka's own. "I like your _butt_! Whoa momma! Yowza! Hubba _hubba_! Rowrrrrr~!"

Yang diving into the bushes next to them a literal moment later and vanishing from sight, Nodoka's eyes, once following Yang, panned upward, now-meeting Vincent's own.

Their eyes locked, after a couple seconds a crimson blush the same color as his right eye began to spread across his face. His mouth opening, lips quivering, the moment his face had turned completely beet red, hands of flesh and chrome clamped atop his face, obscuring his features before he bolted and ran, an embarrassed wail leaving his lips.

"Wait! Come back! I can explain!" Nodoka cried into the trail of dust left in his wake.

"Well _that _was something," Yang hummed as she poked her head up into view once again. "What was with that _reaction_, though? He was acting like some kind of _maiden_," the blond noted absently as she picked leaves out of her hair.

"You… You…!" Nodoka muttered, her voice climbing in volume as the girl trembled, eyes downcast.

"Hm?" Yang hummed.

Looking up, she saw Nodoka's lavender-colored Aura flickering around her body, a single visible eye glowing brightly between her bangs as the bookworm drew her arm back.

"YOU JERK!"

Nodoka's hand coming down upon her cheek, a deafening _***SLAP!* **_filling the air and causing passerby to painfully wince at the sound and birds to abandon their roosts, the surprising force behind the bookworm's blow caused the blond's head to snap to the side, her Semblance topping out causing the bush she was standing in to combust almost instantaneously. Face stinging from the force of the blow, by the time she turned her gaze back to Nodoka, the girl was already running away, tears leaping from her eyes and glinting in the afternoon light as they tumbled to the ground.

" . . . I _may _have gone too far," Yang said scratching her cheek, only to wince in pain.

_***WINDOW DRESSING***_

"What happened to _you_? It looks like you lost a fight with a _toddler_," Blake said as soon as Yang returned from her trip to the library, gesturing to the dainty hand print still pulsing on the blond's cheek.

" . . . _Something _like that," Yang hummed, cheek still stinging from where she'd been slapped.

"You did something _stupid _again, didn't you?" Weiss questioned.

"Wait, what do you mean '_again'_?" Yang asked, insulted.

"Yeah… Yang isn't the _brightest _crayon in the box."

"This coming the girl who almost failed math _and _science," Yang huffed turning back to her sister. "_Ooooor~ _Was that all a ploy to get some _alone time _with your little snuggle-bunny~?" she purred with the knowledge that Ruby _did _reciprocate Arthur's feelings (at least subconsciously), causing Ruby's face to turn red.

"Well, I hope you had your fun, because that pile of homework you put off is _still _waiting for you," Weiss huffed, gesturing to the aforementioned homework resting on the blond's desk.

"Eh…" she hummed looking down at her Scroll. "I think I've caused enough damage. I'm sure Nodoka can smooth things over with Vincent on her own," she surrendered, getting back to her own work.

_'Speaking of which, what _is _Vincent up to right now?' _Blake wondered curiously, for curiosity's sake.

_***WINDOW DRESSING***_

"Why the heck did that girl _say _that thing about my butt?" Vincent asked confusedly as he stared into the full-body mirror in front of his closet. More-specifically, his butt. "And why won't my heart stop beating?" he asked himself, his heart pounding against his rib cage, face still flushed red. "I'm so con_fused_!"

_***WINDOW DRESSING***_

Meanwhile, right outside the RA's door…

_"What did you _say_ to him?" _Velvet asked of the girl standing across form her with a huff, her brow furrowed slightly.

Her big brown eyes and the rabbit ears atop her head took away some of the impact the look was meant to give.

_"It wasn't me. It was my titty-monster of a friend," _Nodoka said gruffly, still _mortified _about what she'd been framed for saying.

_"Okay, but why is he reacting like _this_?"_

_"Apparently he's a little… brain damaged," _Nodoka answered, trying to find the least-offensive way of saying that. _"A nasty hit to the head made him forget… well… _everything_," _she said recalling the rumors.

That just left the question, who was _spreading _these rumors and why? Vincent had only been at Beacon a few days so what was the point?

Meanwhile, up in his clock tower, a certain enigmatic man sneezed into his cup of hot chocolate, reeling in a rare moment of utter revulsion.

_"So then… why did he help _me_?" _Velvet wondered aloud.

_"That's… just how he _is_," _Nodoka answered, recalling her own rescue. _"I haven't known him for that long, but he seems like a very altruistic person. Someone willing to put others before himself."_

_"I'll say…" _Velvet hummed, still surprised that someone had jumped out a _window _to go after her. Sure, her Aura would've been more than up to the task of shielding her, but it wasn't like she didn't appreciate the _gesture_. _"What do you have there?"_

_"A book he'd spent several hours looking for," _Nodoka answered, hugging the Chinese tome to her chest. _"He _literally _dropped everything he was doing to help you."_

"Really_?" _Velvet asked with wide eyes. _"I didn't know that…"_

_"My turn to ask you a question," _Nodoka cut in. _"What do you have _there_?" _she asked pointing to the object in the Faunus girl's hands.

_"Oh! Um… Just a little snack," _Velvet answered holding up a small wicker basket containing a half-dozen immaculately-chosen carrots from the stock of an acquaintance in the agriculture course; each was fresh, ripe, and symmetrical in shape like a line of cigars. _"They… help _me _when I'm feeling hurt," _she said thinking to her _own _nervous habit.

_"A good choice, actually. Carrots _are _good for the eyes," _Nodoka nodded, thinking back to the times _she _had hurt her eyes from over-reading.

_"Maybe, but stress eating is _still _stress eating," _the brunette sighed.

_Loads _better than stuffing herself with _cake _though.

Last year, her cousin _really _had to draw the line on her stress-eating when she outright _abused _the Friends & Family Discount at Gelé Pâtissière.

_"So… Do you think we should come back later?"_ Velvet asked, coming back to the present and _away _from the heavenly carrot cake her uncle-in-law made.

_"Well… _I _can always wait until tomorrow, but will your _morsels _survive the wait?" _Nodoka asked turning her attention to the basket. Cleaned and polished as they were, even raw, they _did _look tremendously appetizing.

_"That… _is _a fair concern…" _Velvet hummed. _" . . . Here goes," _she said raising her hand to the door and knocking, Nodoka's shoulders hitching as the knob began to turn.

"H-Hello…?" Vincent asked timidly as he peeked through the door. "Oh! It's you two. What are _you _doing here?" he asked, timidity vanishing.

"I-I…" Nodoka stuttered. "I wanted to apologize for what my friends said to you a while back, and also to give you this."

"My book!" he said, features brightening as it was held out to him.

"And I wanted to express my thanks for helping me," Velvet saw fit to add, holding up the wicker basket.

"Oh _wow_! This is so _great_!" Vincent cheered with a bright grin, hands clapped together. "Not only do I have that book I spent all day looking for, but a nutritious _snack _to boot! Thank you so _much _you two!"

"W-Well, I'm glad you were able to find what you were looking for," Nodoka replied, bowing slightly.

"We're sorry for disturbing you. We'll take our leave if that's alright with you," Velvet returned with a nod of her head.

"Hey, since you're here, would you like some tea? I was just about to put a pot on," he offered as he jerked a thumb into the room.

"I don't want to intrude," Velvet answered politely.

"Nonsense, nonsense," the odd-eyed teen waved off. "Airing my neighbors' concerns is part of my job now. If there's anything you want to bring up, I'm all ears."

Finding no real counter to that, the two stepped in, their eyes immediately drawn to the strange décor scattered across the room. While they took their seats on one of the couches, Vincent turned his attention back to an electric tea kettle set in a corner of the room. After he was sure everything had been set up and that one of the Dust Circuits were exposed, he took a seat across the two in turn, cracking open his book with one hand while taking hold of a carrot with another.

"So… What's up?" he asked, taking a bite straight out of it.

"You're eating them _raw_?" Nodoka asked with a raised brow behind her bangs.

Not that anyone could _see _that, though.

"Why _not_?" Vincent asked with a shrug. "If I steam them, they might turn all soggy, and then they wouldn't look this _pretty_ anymore," he said grinding another bite down with his molars, a satisfying _***crunch*** _sounding through the air.

"_Thank _you," Velvet sighed before realizing she'd said that out loud, getting a weird look from Nodoka. "What I mean to say is, no-one else understands the _appeal _of a raw carrot, so your words are very _vindicating_," she said with a small smile, quite proud of her produce-picking abilities.

It took a sharp eye to pick out such perfectly-symmetrical carrots at a mere glance, at the peak of freshness to boot.

How they could be grown to such appealing, symmetrical shape and _size _she'd never know.

"I have to ask, why the interest in that book?" Nodoka asked, seeing Vincent's eyes glued to the pages.

"Just… a _hobby _I guess…" he said trailing off, his eyes darting to the décor of his room before turning back to the page, the others looking around and wondering _why _his eyes had darted. "So… How are _you _doing? Are classes going well?"

"Oh, yes, very well," Velvet answered, Nodoka nodding shyly in turn.

"That's good," Vincent nodded.

After this followed an awkward silence, interspersed by the ruffling of book pages and the crunching of carrot chunks between molars. Eventually, the tea kettle began to squeal, Vincent setting what he was doing to the wayside as he stepped away to prepare the tea. After a few minutes he returned to the coffee table, a wooden saucer with glazed clay cups in hand, each filled with steaming green tea. Velvet's own enhanced senses took in the fragrant aroma, while for Nodoka, it was nostalgia that was stirred.

"Sorry it's only tea bags. I couldn't find any good _leaves_ on campus," Vincent apologized with a bow.

"D-Don't worry, I'm sure it'll still be delicious," Nodoka assured, taking the cup with a grateful bow, blowing the steam away before gingerly bring it to her lips, she and Velvet letting out relieved sighs as they drank. "Ahhh… This is very soothing… _Thank _you."

"You're welcome," Vincent replied brightly. "Oh, and Velvet?"

"Yes?"

"If those _hooligans _give you any more trouble, by all means, let me know. _I'll _straighten them out," Vincent said amiably as the _faintest _traces of venom seeped their way into his tone, one of the carrots in his hand snapping in two. "Whoops!" he yelped innocently, venom leaving his tone. "Sorry!"

"N-No, there's nothing to apologize for," Velvet replied, unused to seeing a carrot snapped in _one _hand.

Then again, it _was _the chromed one, sooo…

No… wait… It _wasn't _his chromed hand!

"Of course, the offer applies to you _too,_" he said turning his attention to Nodoka. "If anyone gives _you _any trouble, please, let me know. I'd be _devastated _if anything happened to you."

"I-I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Nodoka replied, a small blush blossoming across her face behind her bangs.

"Thank you. That puts my mind at ease," he sighed as he took a wistful sip of his tea, the three of them entering a relaxed silence interspersed by the smell of green tea.


	12. World-Shaking

**Blaze1992:** I thought Yang was a punner not a troller.

**NeoNazo356:** Maybe, but when I thought about the kind of friendship she'd have with Nodoka, and her own (borderline) Androphobia, this seemed like the most-natural response for her to take.

**Oblivious IJ:** Aww come on where's the badger?! Damnit now im quoting Nora! Seriously though kinda bummed that he aint here, Vincent kinda feels like an OC from DxD right now *cough* The power of the harem compels you! * cough* ... what an odd cough.I don't have much else to say tho.  
IJ the oblivious one

**NeoNazo356:** The thing is, I don't want the world to "revolve" around Jack like it had in Volume 1 of Giant-Slayer. Sure, there were a few deviating chapters, but Jack was still heavily-present in the plot and its progression. Now that Volume 1, Giant-Slayer's "foundation" is set, I can build upon it and have _other _characters move the plot along, because _one _person going on _all _the adventures would create a lack of diversity if you all know what _Jack _is capable of.  
As for Vincent, his presence will _poke _at the Harem Protagonist troupe, but he won't be purely a Gag Character, there will be more depth to him and how he influences the surrounding cast through his interactions with him. He's also going to be the Segue for some really fun story arcs that I don't see much in RWBY FanFics since people become dedicated to "rails" in this niche.

**KitsuneDragon: **Very fillery, but it's fine. Though I really don't understand your use of interspersed Japanese suffixes when you never did it, or at least not as often, in Volume 1.

**NeoNazo356:** The honorifics were a "cutesy" way of saying Nodoka's name. Or more-specifically, a cutesy way of _Yang _saying Nodoka's name.  
"Harem-kun" is also a similar poke at the fiction-within-the-fiction troupe of the Harem Protagonist, similar to how the truck that sends people to another world has lovingly become called "Truck-kun".

_***NEW WORLD***_

**Cue – Utawarerumono OST – Kimi ga Tame (For You) by Suara**

"I… I don't know if you can hear me, but…" the bookish girl began nervously as she twit her thumbs, looking down at her slumbering face. "You… You looked really _cool _back then. When you saved me, I mean," she clarified.

Of course, the girl received no reply, instead greeted by the sound of hospital equipment in the background, the silver-haired teen's quieted breathing, and people passing by the room in the hallway.

"I'm… not really good with talking to boys… Not like Haruna and Yang are…" she said idly brushing her hair behind her ear. "So… I guess I'll just come out and say it while you're still sleeping," she muttered, her face heating up as she slowly leaned toward his sleeping visage. "Thank you… for saving me," she said in gratitude as she planted a chaste kiss upon his lips, sparks of electricity and warmth rushing up her spine. After a few seconds the bookish girl pulled back. "I'll… be sure to visit soon," she said headily, short, hot breaths passing her lips as they tugged into a beautific smile, eyes closed gleefully.

"Hey. Nice kiss."

Nodoka's eyes snapping open, orbs of blue went wide behind a curtain of hair as the silver-haired teen sat up, idly scratching his cheek.

"Y-You're _awake_!" the mousy girl yelped.

"Yup," the silver-haired teen replied. "Still though, that was my _first_ kiss, you know," he hummed almost chidingly, his hands going to her hips and lifting her into his lap as though she were light as a feather. "I hope you plan on taking _responsibility_~" he purred, brushing some of her hair from her face before he leaned in and captured her lips, sparks of electricity rushing up the girl's spine anew as she melted into the embrace, hands fisting his medical gown.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Hehehehe… Hehehehe!" a mirthful voice chuckled.

"I can't believe you're getting off on this," a second voice said flatly.

"Not as much as _she _is~" the first voice cooed.

"If you take pictures of this, I _will _hurt you," the second voice asserted.

At the moment, the two of them were standing over the bed of Nodoka Miazak in the dorm room they shared between the three of them, one girl turned away while the other heatedly watched as the slumbering girl moaned headily in her sleep, one hand roaming her body beneath the covers while the other drilled for "sacred water".

The girl watching rather _enthusiastically _was Haruna Saotome, a seventeen-year-old Japanese girl with a fall, busty frame, dark-green hair going down her waist with two "antennae" sticking up, red eyes, and red rectangular half-frame glasses. Since it was early morning she was clad in her pajamas.

"Can I sketch it? For _research_?" Haruna asked excitedly.

"No," Yue said flatly, slapping the sketchbook from the girl's hands. " . . . If she stays out-of-it like this, we're going to be late for school," she said casting a half-second glance Nodoka's way before turning her attention elsewhere.

"Don't worry, _I _know how to fix it," Haruna giggled, drawing a shiny coach's whistle from her desk she'd gotten after the funny story she'd heard from Yang.

"Well…? What're you waiting for?" Yue asked tersely.

"Wait for it…" Haruna muttered as the sleeping girl writhed beneath the sheets, her face flushing red as she slept.

_"Ahnn~ Please~ Be gentle~" _the bookish girl cooed quietly, the redness of her face visible even behind the curtain of hair concealing her face.

"Wait for iiiiiit!" Haruna said excitedly, eyeing Nodoka's every facial twitch before raising the whistle to her lips right at the climax. _***FWEEEEEEET!***_

"Eyaaaaagh!" Nodoka cried, eyes snapping open as she was _violently _roused from her slumber, the girl rolling over the side of the bed in a tangle of bedsheets and askew pajamas. "Whuh…? Wha…? What happened?" the bookish girl asked sleepily, her hair flaring out in every direction. Looking up to see the fox-like look of her friend, and realizing just where her right hand had drifted, the girl's face exploded into a bright crimson blush before she grabbed the nearest object and hit her bust friend in the face with it.

Said object was only a pillow, but it was the _thought _that counts.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"I still can't believe you watched me in my sleep," Nodoka moaned, having a snack at the dining hall after classes had ended.

Because she, Yue, and Haruna were going to Beacon for different courses, other than meal times they didn't really meet up in any classes. However, it was _when _they met up that she was subject to the most ribbing.

It had taken the girl all she had to convince them _not _to bring Yang into the conversation. She knew that Yang would find out about this _eventually_, but for the time being she could only weather _two _people knowing about something so… embarrassing.

"And what a sleep it _waaas~_" Haruna cooed, a 6-Hour Energy hanging off her lip as she worked on a manuscript for a school project.

"Nodoka, there's nothing wrong with having… _that _kind of dream," Yue said as-reassuringly as she could, the recipient of similar wet dreams as well.

She may not've _watched_ Nodoka writhing under the bed sheets, but the rustling of the cloth and her moaning was enough to fill in some of the blanks.

"Please don't tell Yang about this," the girl pleaded.

"You know she'll find out _eventually_," Yue hummed.

"Yes, but I don't want her to find out _now_," Nodoka asserted. Or at least as-much as she was able.

"Don't worry," Yue said holding up a thick hard-back book. "I'll keep Haruna in line."

"So meeeeean…" Haruna whined pitiably. "Still though, you usually don't _like _boys, yet after only a day you're all hot-and-bothered by him. Why the sudden change?" the mangaka asked, genuinely curious.

Among their circle of friends, Nodoka's borderline Androphobia was a well-known topic not-mentioned in mixed company.

It wasn't that she was legitimately _afraid _of the opposite gender. It was more like because of her super-shy nature, she never developed the _confidence _to converse with them in a casual way without clamming up, hence why she grew out her bangs to cover her face; guys were less likely to hit on her if they though that _she _thought she was unattractive.

"Well… back when he saved me," she began, a fond smile tugging at her lips as the cherished memory came to mind. "He seemed like a real-life Isekai Yuusha, the way he swooped in when he did," she admitted wistfully, slipping back into her native Japanese for a moment.

"Isekai Yuusha… Hero from Another World?" Yue asked with a raised brow.

"Yes! Just like that!" Nodoka replied brightly before flushing in embarrassment.

"Well… _that _seems a little niche," Yue hummed thoughtfully.

Haruna's preferred literature consisted, _unashamedly_, of yaoi, yuri, and H Manga. For Nodoka, it was more fantasy and adventure-based with a _splash _of science mixed in; the more escapist, the better. In contrast, her own favored literature was history and/or philosophy, hence there wasn't much overlap in their interests beyond that invisible, magical glue that held their friendship together.

A love of books.

And Yang, but _mostly _books.

"Makes sense though, he has _plenty _of benchmarks associated with the genre," Haruna hummed as she worked. "Exotic hair, exotic eyes, elemental powers, artificial limb as-applicable, a hero complex, but most-important of _all_, an altruistic care toward those that'd be considered 'demi-humans' in fictional settings," she noted off-handedly, having heard how he'd throwing himself out a _literal _window to save a second-year Faunus girl from the fall after an altercation with some infamous first-year racists.

It wasn't any big secret that the treatment of "demi-humans" in fictional media was an _allegory _for Faunus discrimination IRL.

It was also why in Atlas, most Isekai-genre novels were considered "subversive"; because "demi-humans" actively rebelled against the Human social strata, sought to overthrow the Human-dominated regime, and because Humans were quote/unquote "framed" as the bad guys.

_'There's also his magnetism with the opposite sex, but you know about that one first-hand, don't you, Nodo-chan?' _Haruna asked to herself.

"Yes, that's exactly what I thought," Nodoka said excitedly. "In fact… I think he might be a _real_ Yuusha," she said excitedly, a naive giddiness creeping into her voice.

"A real Hero? From Another World?" Yue asked, the shy bookish girl nodding enthusiastically. "Nodoka, I know there's a lot of _'magical' _stuff in the world around us we can't really explain…" she said largely in reference to Nodoka, Haruna, and Yang's Semblance, as well as other _recorded _Semblance that completely defied or outright spat in the _face of _the laws of physics, "but this is real _life_. Magical portals to other worlds don't just open up and-"

The next moment a swirling green iridescent puddle with the consistency of radioactive sludge appeared above the table in front of them with a loud _***VWOOP***_, whirling limply with the slightest hum. Before anyone could ask just what it was, a pair of figures suddenly burst out of it like breaking water, the two frantically running across the long tables.

"RUN RUBYYY!" a tall, lanky, elderly Faunus cried as he ran. His complexion was dark with bags under his eyelids, a pressure fold above white-colored eyebrows, and laugh lines on both sides of his mouth. His messy bangs were colored the same shock white, the rest of his shoulder-length hair dark-gray with black tips that spiked out in all directions. His attire consisted of a white lab coat with a brown shirt underneath, green cargo pants, a black belt with a silver buckle, and black open-toed sandals that wrapped around his ankles. The trait that identified him as a Faunus were the small black weasel-like ears sitting atop his head, largely concealed by his messy mane of monochromatic hair.

In a weird sorta way he looked like a seventy year-old version of Jack Braxton of Team RWBBY.

"WHAT DO YOU _THINK_ I'M DOING?!" a teenaged girl cried as she ran alongside him. She was fair-skinned with silver eyes and black, neck-length choppy hair that gradated to dark red at the tips. Her attire consisted of a red sleeveless hoodie, jean shorts, and matching red sneakers.

In a similarly weird sorta way, she looked almost _exactly _like Ruby Rose from Team RWBBY, only she looked a bit _younger _than the genuine article. Or rather, less-toned like she were "Ruby Lite".

A moment later a _third _party burst through said portal, so large it had to squeeze its way out, the table buckling under its weight as it slithered after the two runners.

Said third party had an enormous, round, slug-like body with a hard, rubbery exterior colored a deep bloody shade of red with a lighter underbelly, its body covered in orange light-reactive sensing orbs in addition to multiple long tentacle-like appendages, the principle pair whipping out in front of it whipping out not unlike those of the larger tentacles on a squid. Its gaping maw was radial and funnel-shaped lined with rows of razor sharp teeth, its throat distended outward into a hollow tongue. Despite its bulk and the whirl of whipping tentacles, the creature was deceptively fast for its size, the adhesive pads on their pointed tentacle tips allowing it to pull itself along faster than any tentacles monster had the right to on dry land.

"AAAAUGH! THE NIGHTMARE TENTACLE _EAT-_MONSTER'S STILL CHASING US!" the Ruby look-alike cried as she hazarded a glance over her shoulder.

"NO SHIT! I _NOTICED_!" the Jack look-alike bit back, drawing what looked like a grocery store barcode scanner from his coat pocket. Made of a polished white plastic, it was largely unremarkable apart from the transparent glass dome situated atop it, contained within a glowing green globule of energy with arcs of electricity randomly dancing against the walls of the dome not unlike those plasma balls that made your hair stand on end.

The Jack look-alike pulling the trigger repeatedly as they ran, similar green portals were suddenly spawned in the air in front of the shocked-and-quickly-growing-terrified lunch-goers. As the massive tentacle monster barreled after them, the glowing green portals began belching out a series of obstacles.

From one portal a huge plume of flame was belched out, filling the room with the rancid smell of cooking meat as flesh burned and light-sensitive orbs bubbled. From another, a swarm of hungry insects flew out, biting and stinging the "nightmare tentacle eat-monster" causing purple blood to spatter in all directions. The one after that summoned forth flailing tentacles that only managed to tear a few of the "nightmare tentacle eat-monster"s appendages, and another belted out a deluge of icy zastruga shards that sliced into it.

However, through this and countless other obstacles, the "nightmare tentacle eat-monster" continued the chase, the glowing green portals swiftly winking shut behind it like some kind of safety measure.

And a good thing too, because a massive flood of saltwater that never closed would've _destroyed _Beacon.

Eventually.

"WHY WON'T THAT THING DIE?!" the Ruby look-alike wailed as the wounded nightmare tentacle eat-monster spattered blood in all directions, angry roars causing the once shell-shocked students to scatter in all directions.

"BECAUSE IT'S _HUNGRY_! WHY ELSE!?"

"I KNEW I SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE INTO THAT CAVE!"

"NO! _I _KNEW THAT! _YOU _COULDN'T HELP YOURSELF TO THAT SHINY _BLASTER_ THAT CAUGHT YOUR EYE!"

"THAT'S RIGHT! THE BLASTER!" the Ruby look-alike cried as she pulled out a black futuristic-looking blaster with an analogue scope mounted atop it. Even an amateur could tell it was _heavily _modified; maybe illegally-so. "WHAT DO I DO WITH IT!?"

"SHOOT THAT THING!"

"I CAN'T! I MIGHT HIT SOMEONE BY MISTAKE! ALSO, THAT THING'S RUBBERY SKIN IS _RESISTANT _TO BLASTER BOLTS!" she cried thinking back to her knee-jerk reaction upon _first _seeing that thing.

"UGH! _AMATEUR_!" the Jack look-alike said snatching the blaster from the girl's hand and firing upward at the ceiling. A moment later and a large chandelier suddenly came down right atop the nightmare tentacle eat-monster with a loud _***CRASH***_, pinning the ravenous beast beneath a wreckage of ruined metal and glass, this and its previous injuries finally stopping the creature in its tracks, allowing the two runners to escape into Beacon's grounds.

As the angry tentacle monster writhed angrily under the chandelier dropped atop it, purple blood pooling underneath it, the bystanders in the mess hall could only gape helplessly, whereas a certain bookworm felt _extremely _vindicated by what had just happened.

"So… _What _was that you were saying about how portals to other worlds _don't _just open up and let people in from other worlds?" Nodoka asked with a rare snarky tone, feeling _extremely _vindicated by what she'd just witnessed.

"That doesn't prove anything… That doesn't prove anything at _all_," Yue asserted. "I believe in _fact. _Hard evidence."

" . . . Does _that _prove anything?" Haruna asked pointing to the "nightmare tentacle eat-monster" at the end of the room, slowly bleeding out purple blood as those with weapons poked and prodded at the strange, foreign creature to see whether it was dead or not.

A tentacle wrapping around the waist of a student as the creature in its death throes flailed them around showed that it was _not _in fact, dead yet.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So… When do you think the others will be back with groceries?" Blake asked looking up from her book, attempting to make small talk while Jack and Ruby were away getting supplies for dinner.

It wasn't that what the mess hall made wasn't _good_, but sometimes a nice home-cooked meal was what the team needed after a long day of classes.

"Depends on whether they get _just _what's on the list, or if they go _rogue_ on us," Yang hummed, recalling her _own _trips to the store with her dad when what should've been a five-minute stop on the way home turned into something significantly longer.

_***Creeeeeeak***_

"Oh. Speak of the devil and he… shall…" Weiss said before trailing off. " . . . Appear…?"

"Uhhh… _Jack_…?" Blake hummed, rubbing her eyes, squinting, rubbing her eyes, and squinting again. "How… long were the two of you _gone _for?" she asked seeing the age on his face.

"And when'd you have the time to change _clothes_?" Yang asked toward her sister.

She _looked _like her sister, at least.

_Really _looked like her.

Yet for some reason there were two parts of her saying this girl was but _wasn't _her sister, yet still _was_.

_"_ _. . . Grandpa, why are we in here?" _Ruby(?) stage-whispered as she leaned over to "grandpa".

"Relax, I know a guy," Jack(?) shrugged indifferently, popping a squat on Jack's bed like he owned the place and taking a swig from a flask he drew from his coat.

"Uh… Are we on a hidden camera show?" Blake asked looking paranoidly around the room.

"Yes, seriously, why and more-importantly _how _do you look that old?" Weiss asked leaning into Jack's(?) face and scrutinizing it. "This is… _beyond _a professional-grade makeup job."

Singing on-stage as long as she had under lighting that-bright, she knew a professional makeup job when she saw one.

_"_ _. . . Do _you _wanna tell them or should I?" _Ruby(?) asked.

"Wait for it," Jack(?) shrugged.

"Wait for _what _exactly?" Blake asked confusedly, still searching for a camera.

_"Grandpa, I'm freaking _out _here_,_" _Ruby(?) said as she and Yang eyed each other.

"Wait for iiiiiit."

"Wait for _what_!?" Weiss asked, quickly reaching her BS limit.

"Hey, Weiss! Jack and I are back with groceries!" Ruby greeted as she walked in through the door, everyone's eyes going wide as they snapped between the two versions of Ruby, nearly giving themselves whiplash before Jack, _their _Jack, walked in through the door.

"Jack…" Ruby, the _real _Ruby, said as she warily eyed her simply-dressed counterpart. "What's going on here . . . ?"

"Sup, me?" Jack(?) asked with a wave of his flask-holding hand.

"Ugh. All _kinds _of bullshit," Jack groaned tiredly as he hung his head.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Alright, I'm going to try explaining _all _of this, a-_gain_," Jack groaned in the communal kitchen after once-again failing to get the rest of Team Ruby (and _Juniper _after they stumbled upon the two duplicates) to understand the intricacies of the Many Worlds Interpretation. A tutorial he'd given _multiple_ times to no avail, Goddess damn them.

"Can I have my fries back?" Jaune asked with a raised finger.

"Alright, this fry _here_? It's _our _universe," Jack said holding up a crispy, delicious-looking fry that for all intents and purposes was _perfect_, poignantly ignoring Jaune. "This fry here? It's soggy, it's weird, it's _gross_. This fry, is _their _universe," Jack said gesturing to the doppelgangers as he flicked the soggy, weird, gross fry into Jaune's face with a wet _***splat***_

"Hey! Why're you being so _mean _to me?" Jaune whined.

"Because I've spent the last half-hour trying to explain the intricacies of multiverse theory to you idiots and you _still _don't get it," Jack bit out angrily as he ate the stolen food, nearing the end of his patience.

"Jack, it isn't that we don't _get it_, it's just…" Pyrrha said glancing between Jack and his elderly doppelganger, before turning to Ruby who was actively mirroring her _own _doppelganger, the two making faces at one another like a mirror. "It's just really hard to _believe_."

"What's so hard to _believe_ about it? The evidence is staring you in the face right _there_," Jack groaned as he gestured to his and Ruby's doppelgangers, the prior of which belched languidly like he didn't give a shit.

"Well, _yes_, but, all of this talk about the greater multiverse? All of that has been just _theoretical_, completely unsubstantiated by the scientific theory," Weiss interjected. "And now we're meeting… _this_?" she said gesturing to "Old" Jack.

"Hey, don't get bent out of shape about it," Old Jack told his counterpart. "These kids back in my universe are kinda stupid _too_," he shrugged as he ate, Jack and his doppelganger mirroring one another's movements precisely as they ate.

"If I read more science fiction, I'd probably have an easier time grasping all this…" Blake hummed. She was used to Jack shaking her worldview, but _this_…? This was _leagues _above the whole Circle of Man thing and the _true _cause of the Faunus Rights Revolution.

She was still sifting through _that _can of worms to no avail.

"Hey! Old Jack!" Nora spoke up excitedly.

"You get a _pass_."

"You travel around the multiverse, right?"

"That's what _this _is for," Old Jack said holding up his portal gun. "Why do you ask?"

"A while back, Nora had a cup of coffee and went on for a week about how she experienced countless alternate versions of herself," Ren explained. "_Obviously _I ruled it off as a caffeine rush, but seeing… _this_… I'm not so sure she was making it all up anymore."

"Experiencing countless alternate _versions _of yourself, huh?" Old Jack asked as he tented his fingers in front of his face, a serious look on his face. "Why don't you tell me more about it," he offered, a genuine intrigued look in his eye.

"Well, _first _it started with the coffee that Ren said I wasn't allowed to _have _for some reason!" Nora said excitedly and energetically.

"Uh huh…" Old Jack hummed, seeing _why_.

"And then I fell to the floor having _seizures_!"

"That… doesn't sound too healthy actually."

"And that's when the _visions_ started!"

"Yeeeeeah…"

"First, Ruby and Ren switched places! Then, Ren and Ruby's _clothes _swapped! _Then_, Ruby swapped places with Blake and no-one's clothes were swapped! Then, Ren swapped places with Jaune! Blake and Jaune swapped places with some ice cream girl and that Torchwick guy! Then, the ice cream girl and Torchwick swapped places with some blue-haired guy and some blond surfer boy Monkey Faunus! And _then_, the three of us had _mustaches_!" Nora said stroking her upper lip. "Then the blue-haired guy turned into some old guy and the blond surfer boy Monkey Faunus swapped places with Ren! And then the old guy swapped places with Ruby and _Ren _swapped places with the old guy! Then there were _two _old guys! Then the blue-haired guy and Jaune were taking notes! And then I turned into some chick in a recording studio named _Sam _who had a cup of coffee with a black mug with a red rose symbol and the word **RWBY** on it in her hand! Then _she drank_ the coffee and I woke up," she summarized.

"Anything _else _you wanna add?"

"Oh! Right! Almost forgot! When I got back, for some reason Ren sounded like Ruby, and Ruby sounded like Ren, and I think Jaune turned into a monochrome _Corgi _for some reason," she tacked on.

"Uh huh…" Old Jack hummed, tapping a gnarled finger on the table.

"Did you understand… _any _of that?" Ren asked.

"Well… Sounds like your typical exchange of _sensory _information between alternate versions of yourself among parallel universes," the old doppelganger answered.

"Wait, _typical_?"

"I'm not sure what the _cause _was beyond the coffee. May've been just a fluke, like a random irradiated particle in the beans causing some kind of quasi-quantum entanglement. But the fact you were able to exchange information between yourselves when normally two timelines delineate from one another in _milliseconds _is… interesting to say the least," Old Jack hummed.

" . . . Huh?" Nora, and everyone sans Jack asked with a confused head-tilt.

"Theoretically, or _mechanically _as the case may be, it's possible to send not only information, but _energy _between different timelines because they remain briefly coupled to one another form their originating point," he said pulling a rubber band from his pocket and drawing it taut. "As they decohere, sending and receiving information would become more and more difficult until becoming largely _impossible_," he said slowly pulling the ends of the rubber band apart until it snapped in two altogether.

" . . . Huh?" everyone sans Jack repeated.

The next moment Old Jack pulled a small tin from his coat pocket before opening it up. Grabbing a pinch of blue-colored dust, the older Faunus flicked it out into the girl's face, a wide, confused look dominating her features.

"That's how it works."

"That's how _what _works?"

"_Amnesia _Dust," he answered causing eyes to widen. "You throw a pinch, guy forgets everything for the last few seconds," he said before lobbing another pinch. "That's how it works."

"That's how _what_ works?" Nora asked, with the _exact _same inflection.

"_Amnesia _Dust. You throw a pinch, guy forgets everything for the last few seconds." And on-cue, he threw another pinch at the girl's face. "That's how it works."

"That's how _what _works?"

"Never gets old," Old Jack chuckled as he withdrew the tin, eyes going wide at what they'd just witnessed. "Picked up the recipe from one of the more _tame _dimensions a while back. Comes handy in a _pinch_," he said answering the unspoken question.

"Ha! I like this guy already!" Yang said with a laugh.

"So then… what's fictional in one world, might be another's reality, and vice versa?" Blake asked aloud.

"If you're asking, are the events of those smut-books in your room real in _other _universes, then yes," Jack answered with a shrug. "Infinite events happening in infinite timelines."

"That's… kinda _depressing _actually," Jaune hummed.

"Why?" Pyrrha asked.

"Because if everything is happening infinitely… then nothing we do really _matters_," he realized, feeling like all his struggles were so… inconsequential.

"Pretty much, _yeah_," Old Jack shrugged.

"Nobody exists on purpose, nobody belongs anywhere, everybody's gonna die," Original Jack said plainly drawing their attention back to _him_. "In a universe without meaning, it's up to _you _to find meaning, in _your _actions in the world that _you _influence. I don't let knowing about the multiverse bother me because outside one isolated incident, I don't putz around outside my own observable _universe _having 'villain of the week' adventures like some kinda TV show."

"Wait, you've _traveled _to other worlds before?" Original Ruby asked with wide eyes.

"_One _time, and it was _not _pleasant," Jack said plainly.

"What was it lik-"

"Not. Pleasant," Jack repeated, the look on his face shutting down that line of discussion entirely.

"Still though, this is an _amazing _breakthrough!" Weiss said excitedly. "Armed with this knowledge and the cooperation of a denizen of another universe, the people of Remnant could establish a comradery with other intelligent life across the multiverse! We're talking the usherance of a new _Golden Age_-"

"Yeah, not gonna happen," Old Jack cut in unashamedly.

"What? Why _not_?!" Weiss asked angrily with a stomp.

"Because you idiots can't even get along with each _other _in your _own _universe," Old Jack said with a flat look. "What makes you think you could get along with people from _another_ universe?" he questioned, Weiss raising her finger to answer only to fall short. "Yeah, I thought so."

"So, not that I really _care _and all, but WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU HERE?!" Jack finally raged at his doppelganger.

"Ruby here walked into a Rathtar nest because a discarded blaster caught her eye," Old Jack answered plainly, Alt-Ruby flushing in embarrassment. "In didn't have time to quadrangulate a portal to our _home _dimension, so I just hit Random on my preferred playlist," he said gesturing to his Portal Gun.

"Okay. Then why are you _still _here?!"

"Figured since I was in your nick of the woods, I'd get some of that sweet, sweet _sauce _from ya," Old Jack said, salivating a little.

"Uh… _What_?" Yang asked with a raised brow at the way Old Jack was looking at "Regular" Jack.

"He means teriyaki _dipping _sauce. You degenerate perverts," Jack said plainly. "I still don't see why the hell you can't make it in _your _dimension. Aren't you like, a bazillion times smarter than me?"

"First off, 'bazillion' isn't a real number. _Second_… It's something about the Szechuan peppers in this dimension that just hold the _flavor _better than in my dimension," he answered. "Don't know why the flavor of the _peppers _suddenly changed, but, you know how it goes. The multiverse works in mysterious ways."

"Okay, I know the McRonald's sauce in your dimension was discontinued… twenty years ago, but why the hell can't I just buy you the ingredients here, and then _you _make the sauce back in _your _dimension? This little shit-show has melted _all _of their brains and I'll probably have to erase their _memories _later."

"Wait _what_-"

"I _would_, but the ol' arthritis doesn't make my hands what they used to be," Old Jack said holding up gnarled hands, cutting Jaune off.

"Bullshit, you blathered on for an hour about how you keep Arthritis Antidote next to you Broken _Leg _Antidote," Jack bit back.

"Look, can you make the sauce or not?" Ruby's doppelganger asked. "If it makes you feel any better, you can teach _me _how to make this sauce, and then we won't have to bother you with this anymore."

"Well _you're _being really helpful about this," Jack appraised Ruby's double with a raised brow.

"Yeah, well, it was either this or having to disarm a drunkenly-improvised _neutrino _bomb later."

"Wait, those are real _too_?!" Weiss gawped.

"You're damn lucky I went out grocery shopping already otherwise I wouldn't even have _half _the shit to make this sauce," Jack grumbled as he began raiding the pantry.

"Um, what was this about you erasing our memories-"

"Ugh, enough of this _bullshit_!" Jack said as he _finally _reached the end of his patience.

Reaching into his counterpart's coat pocket, a familiar tin was pulled into the open before Jack raised it above his head.

"AMNESIA DUST!" he shouted as he threw the tin into the ground like a football at the end zone, smothering the others in a cloud of blue.

_***NEW WORLD***_

An iridescent green wormhole opening up inside a familiar garage next to a familiar house on a familiar island in a familiar world, Jack and Ruby returned to their home universe with nary a delay after concluding their business in the other universe. With a Tupperware of Szechuan sauce in tow and _no _"nightmare tentacle eat-monster" on their tail this time around, the two could truly relax.

"Whew. We _made _it," Ruby-365 sighed.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Jack-365 replied.

"Still, was it alright leaving those kids like that?" Ruby-365 asked as she adjusted her grip on the Tupperware and the detailed recipe that Jack-356 took down for her. "That Amnesia Dust he hit them with right at the end made them all _goofy_," she said thinking back to the goofy, wide-eyed looks on their faces as they stumbled around in circles bumping into walls and one another, even when Jack-356 had been done with the _sauce_.

"Eh, don't worry about it. Amnesia Dust'll wear off and if he's lucky, the dosage he gave them will make them forget all about the multiverse," Jack-365 shrugged. "If _not_, well… Not _my _problem."

"But wait, why not erase _his _memory about the multiverse then?" she asked. "From what I can tell, his only real memory of world-hopping was _far _from pleasant."

"Other than the fact that I won't be able to get any more Szechuan sauce out of him, all the brain damage he racked up from that universe's Killing Bites makes him uniquely _resistant _to mind-altering materials," Jack-365 answered. "That and _other _things," he tacked on. "Anyway, we got that Rathar off our butts, the two of us got home safe and sound, and we got some Szechuan sauce to boot. I'd say it was a pretty good day all things considered."

"Still…" Ruby-365 hummed as she looked down at her Scroll, which had been over-modified into a Trans-Dimensional Omni-Directional Tri-Corder. "When we were on Remnant-356, I picked up on a _bunch _of foreign dimensional matter. Aren't we going to _do _something about it?"

"Ruby, picking up after trans-dimensional incidents in other universes is a lot like being a dog-walker in a park," Old Jack began. "It's your job to clean up the shit, and you _can _pick up the trash everyone else leaves behind too, but at the end of the day it isn't really your job to pick up the trash, just the shit," Jack-365 hummed idly as he went to work on some kind of alien device on his workbench. "All that trans-dimensional matter your Scroll picked up? That's the litter. Only reason we stuck _around _was to see if any of it was dog shit. And to get more sauce," he tacked on.

"I'm still confused on the metaphor. If random bits of matter from other parallel universes that don't 'glitch' themselves out of existence is like litter, what's the dog poo supposed to represent?" Ruby asked confusedly.

"Basically stuff from the Macroverse."

"What, you mean like It, or Barbadook?"

"Yeah. _Those _guys," Jack-365 shrugged dismissively as a familiar red-haired clown materialized nearby, only to pale in terror at the sight of Jack-365 before aborting itself back to its home dimension.

"So… We're just going to _leave _all that trans-dimensional matter there? Not do anything about it?" Ruby asked without missing a beat.

She'd seen her grandpa chase off enough weird shit from the Macroverse she'd grown _used _to it. Probably as-used-to-it as Mordys were disarming drunkenly-improvised neutrino bombs.

Or at least the Mordys that could disarm the _first _drunkenly-improvised neutrino bomb they encountered on their adventures with their Ricks or Rick-equivalents.

If you couldn't do _that_, you weren't likely to get a second chance (read: not at all).

"That's Jack-356's nick of the multiverse. If there's a problem in his neck of the woods, he'll either fix it, find someone who _can_, or _die_. Infinite events across infinite timelines. I can't babysit _all _of them."

"But isn't that the universe where you get your Szechuan sauce? Isn't that version of Jack the only one who _makes_ it right?"

"Yes. And the Ricks from the nearby arm of the multiverse _hate _me for it," Jack-365 chuckled. Even if anything happened to _that _Jack, he could always just find a neighboring branch of the multiverse where he could get identical sauce. Infinite events across infinite timelines meant "infinite sauce"; in essence. "Now, be a dear and hand me the screwdriver so I can finish my ionic difibulizer, would you?"

"Isn't this the thing that killed that one Rick and Mordy from the blooper reel?" Ruby asked looking at the alien device warily, wondering whether she should bolt to mother or not.

"Yes, except unlike _that _guy, _I'm _not an _idiot_," he said gesturing to the immaculately clean work space he used.

Turned out an errant spark from a loose wire on _another _piece of tech conducted by a puddle of oil was what had caused the demise of Rick-91610501272014 and his Mordy. As a result of this, the Jacks involved in extradimensional travel learned to keep an _immaculate _workplace.

Just because it was "infinite events happening across infinite timelines" didn't mean they _all _had to die because of a workplace-related incident.

"What does thing _do _anyway?" Ruby asked looking at the machine.

"I _could _tell you, Ruby, but _that_, is a story for another day."

"Hey grandpa! Look what I found out back in the woods!" Yang-365 said as she pulled a Dorito-shaped cyclopean statue with stick arms and a top hat into the yard on a little red wagon. "Hey Ruby! Take my picture so I can put it on Quickiegram," she said tossing her Scroll to Ruby before reaching for the statue's outstretched hand.

"WaitYangdon't!"

**"Sdrawkcab egassem! ****Sdrawkcab egassem! ****Sdrawkcab egassem!****"**

"Ffffuuuuuck!" Jack-365 groaned tiredly before he set down his tools, smashed a glass case labeled **In Case of Crossover Event**, and walked out into the yard.

An asshole's work was never done.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**Shouldn't be too hard to figure out what cameo was inspired **_**this-**_**chapter.**

**Also, there's a **_**hidden **_**cameo for those of you who pay really close attention.**

**Well, a _few _hidden cameos, but you get the message.**

**Review, bitches! Wubba lubba dub _dub_!**


	13. Weiss on Ice

**TM11: **I...I did not understand the meaning behind this chapter at all. Don't misunderstand, it was interesting seeing Old Jack and Alt-Ruby, but was there a reason for them coming besides s*** and giggles? Really, the volume so far seems more like a collection of fillers than a plot driven story. At least the last few chapters give me that impression.

**NeoNazo356: **Short answer long: I think the reason everything in Giant-Slayer: New World thus-far feels like filler is because it "isn't Canon". Between "Foreverfall, Part 2" and "The Stray" there's a big Timeskip of at _least _a few months where everything that happened is largely implied. However, because I'm raising the Power Scale of Giant-Slayer in comparison to its Canon counterpart, I intend to fill in that Timeskip with something a little more substantial than the "nothing at all" that was shown/not shown in the Canon prior to the lead-in to Volume 3.  
Also, since Jack is stronger (mechanically) than most of the Canon cast, and yet there are people still-stronger than _him_, obviously I'll have to build _toward _that, though the VFT should be happening at around roughly the same time of year, fall, so I'm building up to _that _too.  
The reason for the previous chapter was also to act as a segue for future plot strings, and because of certain carry-ons, like in this chapter.  
Long answer short: "World-Shaking" was _not _for "shits and giggles".

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Ooogh… Kill… meee…" Weiss groaned.

"Weiss, I _told _you staying up so late to get ahead of everyone else was a bad idea," Ruby chided that Thursday morning.

"Yeah, Weiss. I get that you want to be the best at everything you can get your hands on, but if you make yourself sick over it, what's the point?" Blake asked.

"And here I thought _Ruby _would be the first of us to get sick," Yang hummed thoughtfully, recalling her sister's own unhealthy habits.

"Hey, I'm _plenty _healthy!" Ruby cried indignantly.

"Rubes, I still have to remind you to wash the gun oil off your hands before dinner."

"Groooooooss…" Weiss groaned. Moving to sit up, the heiress swiftly drooped over to the side.

"Whoa, there, where do you think _you're _going?" Yang asked as she caught her.

"To claaass… Gotta gooooo…"

"Not in _your _condition you're not," Yang argued. "You're staying in bed."

"But my _attendance _record…"

"Will take an even bigger hit if you make yourself even _sicker_," Jack argued as he moved in, grasping her by the shoulder.

"Ja-Jack?!" Weiss squawked as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"Oh my, how _bold_~" Yang cooed.

"Weiss, hold still. I can't take your temperature," Jack scolded as the heiress frantically pushed against him, to no avail. Weiss eventually acquiescing, the Faunus leaning above her closed his eyes in concentration, a slight blush on the girl's face as the seconds dragged on. "Well… It feels like you've got a bit of a fever," he said a few moments later. "Other than that, nothing _too _serious."

"Oh! Don't worry! I know _exactly _what she needs!" Ruby cheered as she zipped all around the room and out into the hallway, returning half a minute later with a ton of random stuff in her arms. "Alright, I've got you _everything _you'll need. A warm glass of whole milk, my _favorite _video game, Kung Fu Ninja Slayer Ultimate Deathbattle 2, _aaand_, finally, a motivational _cat _poster," she said unrolling said poster, which had the typical **Hang in there** prompt on it.

"Ruby, _please_… I don't need _that_. Just _medicine_," Weiss pleaded.

"That and _rest_," Jack said flatly. "If you hold off on resting _now_, you'll get sicker for longer _later_. Better to be sick for a day than a whole week," he said sagely, speaking from personal experience. "Ruby, you take the others to class. I'll get Weiss back on her feet by tomorrow morning; that's a Jack Braxton Guarantee," he said giving the girl a thumbs-up.

"Well, look at _you _volunteering to play nursemaid," Yang said with a grin. "You sure you don't have any… _ulterior _motives~?"

"Unlike _some _people on a dry spell, _I _can actually control myself," Jack said flatly. " . . . You pervert."

"Hey, if I'm a pervert, than you're a _super _pervert!"

"I know no shame," Jack huffed with a smirk.

"Guys, stop fighting over something so trivial," Blake said flatly as she got her things together. "Jack, can you really get Weiss up and running again by tomorrow?"

"You bet I can. My mom taught me all kinds of herbal remedies, and the Emerald Forest is chock-_full _of Ingredients for me to use," Jack said jerking a thumb out the window. "Just make sure to film all the lectures, and I'll be sure to do the same the next time _you're _sick."

"Okay then! I'll leave Weiss in your hands!" Ruby said chipperly.

"I wonder how _much _of her he'll get his hands on," Yang giggled.

"Yang, behave," Blake chided.

"Wait a minute, don't _I _have a say in this?" Weiss asked.

"Hmm… _Nope_," Ruby hummed with an adorable chirp as she and the others left the room.

"So… I guess it's just the two of us, huh?" Jack asked once the others had left.

"Yeah…" Weiss murmured, fidgeting in her bed and suddenly really self-conscious about rooming with a boy.

" . . . Wanna get breakfast?" the Faunus suddenly asked.

_***Growrrrrrrrr***_

" . . . Well _that _was rather undignified," Jack chuckled after a moment.

"Shut up and feed me," Weiss said covering her blushing face with her hands.

_***NEW WORLD***_

A few minutes later and the two of them were in the communal kitchen. Weiss had changed out of her nightgown into her tracksuit, while Jack had gone into his casual attire. Weiss, draping a blanket across her legs, watched as Jack raided the pantry, and then the fridge afterward.

"Oh good, no-one touched the eggs I left behind."

"Well with a label like _that_, who'd be dumb enough to _do _so?" Weiss asked as she eyed the carton, the words **TOUCH ME AND DIE, J. B. **scribbled onto it in black marker with the caricature of a snarling weasel on the end.

"Oh trust me, I've seen _plenty _of dumb Humans in my day," Jack waved off as he grabbed a carton of milk, spices, and an electric beater. "And not all of it involved beer," he said as he got to work, cracking eggs one-handed and tossing the shells into the trash with a practiced hand.

"That is… a _lot _of eggs," Weiss hummed as the bowl filled with many, _many _eggs.

"Hey, I'm feeding for _two _here. Two-and-a-_half _since you'll need lots of energy to fight that bug you caught, so I expect you to eat everything put in front of you," he said adding a generous helping of milk. "_Plus you might finally grow some tits," _he added as he spooled the beater.

"_What _was that?"

"Nothing~!" Jack hummed gleefully as he scrambled the eggs.

"Hmph. That isn't what it _sounded _like," Weiss huffed. Jack, finishing up with the eggs, then withdrew a cut of meat from the fridge, cutting it into long, thick strips, when he then proceeded to smother with syrup and spices, tossing them into the skillet with a loud sizzling noise.

" . . . This doesn't smell like pig bacon," Weiss hummed a moment later as the smell began to wash over her.

"That's 'cause it's _Saber Rabbit_," Jack answered, the heiress gawking as the image of that enormous man-eating rabbit came to mind. "None of that artificial _growth _hormone crap like you'll get in Atlas, just all-natural fruits and berries feeding _this_ meat."

"If that thing's an herbivore, why did it have such big teeth?"

"To fight off predators. Since its agility took a hit when it began growing that large, the Saber Rabbit had to evolve into something that could _fight _its predators off," Jack answered.

"Okay, but how does that facilitate growing to be as large as a _bear_?" Weiss asked, recalling the sight of Nora scaring Jaune shitless with the Saber Rabbit Pelt she'd been gifted after Jack was done with the meat.

"Its Appetite was simply greater than the obstacles placed before it," Jack said sagely as he turned over the eggs, adding the occasional shake of spices and moving the bacon about.

"So… I _have _to ask…" Weiss began, deciding to draw away the topic form monstrous rabbits. "Yang seems really taken by you. _Smitten _even. And yet, you don't reciprocate. Why is that?" she asked, bringing up a topic that had been on her mind for a while now.

"All sorts of reasons," Jack sighed.

"Such as…?"

"Okay, first, dating within the team _always _ends in disaster," he said raising a finger, thinking back to his time in the White Fang where a perfectly-functioning squad's team dynamic got totally _fucked _because members on the same team began fucking one _another_, and thus cared more about their _partners _than the squad as a whole. "Second, I'm a momma's boy with issues. _Lots _of issues."

"Understatement of the decade," Weiss hummed, thinking back to all the times Jack's "Mom Button" had been hit, and how-badly it had ended for the guy with the itchy finger.

"Lastly… Yang has her fair share of baggage to unload as well, and I'd be taking advantage of her if I tried pursuing her before she sorted all that out," Jack hummed, thinking back to the time that Yang had confided in him, and the bond it had formed between them.

He'd have to start putting out feelers for Yang's mom. The best place to start was with a _picture_, but the opportunity never presented itself since when _moms _came up, Yang avoided touching said topic. Plus, there was no telling how out-of-date any picture of her mother she _did _happen to have was.

Oh well. Work for another day, he supposed.

"Anyway," he said putting a pin in that. "Until we can _both _get over our issues, no inter-team dating between Yang and I."

"Ah… I see…" Weiss hummed, feeling a contradictory mix of elation and sadness welling up inside her. _'Wait a minute… am I…?'_

"Food's done!" Jack said jovially, derailing that train of thought completely as he placed a plate of food before her. "Preeeeesentinnnnng… Jack Braxton's Fluffy & Spicy Eggs with Candied Saber Rabbit Bacon on the side! Enjoy!"

"Mmmm…"

Weiss, having grown up on the finest food by some of the best chefs in the world, was unimpressed by the aesthetics of the food Jack had made; in short, the meal before her looked rather pedestrian. Apart from the decidedly _non-_pork-like scent coming off the Saber Rabbit bacon, the eggs, even with spices, still looked ordinary.

However, as the steam coming off the food flitted into her nostrils, that sentiment began to change. Though the food _looked _unassuming, the _smell _was utterly captivating, doubly-so when she bit into the eggs, a spicy, fluffiness washing over her as the milk and spices mingled atop her tongue, only further complimented by the sweet & spicy tang of the syrup-and-spice-covered Saber Rabbit belly meat.

The growling of her stomach, something she had taken for granted in an environment where that sort of expression was _frowned _upon, caused a smile to tug at Jack's face as the heiress dug into her meal with gusto, looking for all intents and purposes like any other girl wolfing down a delicious meal without worry for her waistline.

It was nice to see her cut loose like this.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So… What do you want to do now?" Weiss asked, feeling a bit better now that she had some food in her stomach.

She was just glad Jack hadn't decided to take any blackmail photos, because the way she'd conducted herself at breakfast was rather… unseemly.

" . . . Well, in theory, training with your spirit shouldn't make your _body _sick, so you could work on your Semblance, I guess," Jack shrugged as he stepped out of the closet, clad in his Gourmet Hunter gear. "You sit tight, here. I'll be right back. Need to grab a couple things from the woods."

"Wait, you're leaving me _alone_?"

"I can't get your training aid if I stay _here_, now can I?" Jack asked in turn.

"Training aid…?"

"Trust me, it'll be a big help," Jack said with a smile. "If you need me, just call me on your Scroll and I'll come running."

"But wait! I don't have your number!" Weiss said, causing the Faunus to stop mid-step.

"Well… Guess we'll just have to fix that, huh?" Jack asked. Holding out his hand, Weiss passed along her Scroll, the Faunus taking his own and placing them back to back. A few button taps and a progress bar reflecting in his jade-colored eyes, after a few moments the transfer was complete, and Weiss' Scroll was tossed back to her. "There you go. I put my number in your speed dial. Now you can call me whenever you feel like it."

"I _quiver _in anticipation," Weiss quipped sarcastically.

"That's the spirit," Jack nodded. "Now, while I'm gone, why don't _you _settle down for a nice nap?" he asked, tucking Weiss in before she could answer. "Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it, you just worry about getting well," he said cutting off all protests as he drew the curtains and killed the lights.

"O… kay…" Weiss sighed, realizing she was more-tired than she'd thought. "Stay… safe…"

_***NEW WORLD***_

_"Weiss~"_

" . . . "

_"Weiiiss~"_

"Mmmgh . . . "

_"Oh Weiiisssssss~"_

"Go'way… Sleepy…"

"RISE AND SHINE SLEEPING BEAUTY!"

_***CLAP!***_

"AAUUUGH!" Weiss shrieked as the shockwave from the gale-force "thunder" clap _violently_, nay, _murderously _roused her from her slumber.

"Oh good, you didn't die while I was out. Nice."

"What on Remnant is _wrong _with you!?" Weiss shrieked, ears still ringing. "Couldn't you see I was sleeping?!"

"I did, but if I _let _you sleep, your body clock would be thrown out of whack and you wouldn't be able to sleep before _school _tomorrow."

" . . . You didn't have to be so _rough_…" she pouted after a moment.

"That's nice," Jack nodded plainly.

"So… You really went to _town_, huh?" she asked looking at the bag slung over his shoulder, stuffed to the brim with wild Ingredients.

Way more than any two people could sensibly eat.

"No you dope, I went to the _forest_."

"That is _not _what I-"

"Anywho, I _got _you something," he said holding up a shoebox in one hand, a survival knife in the other which he tossed to her.

"Do I even want to know what's in the box?" Weiss asked with a raised brow, the girl nearly jumping out of her skin with an- "AAAAAGH!" -as the box jostled from within atop the Faunus' hand.

"Quit screaming! The box's content won't matter in a minute," Jack said as he took a seat on the shelf between hers and Blake's beds. Popping the claw in his index finger and raking it across the top of the box, the Faunus reached in before pulling out-

"VERMIIIIIIIIIN!" Weiss screamed as an enormous rat-shaped Grimm, aka "Vermin", was drawn into view.

Its fur completely jet black, the entirety of its head was enclosed in a skull-shaped carapace, its tail long and bony, with tiny bone plates on its shoulders and hips. The Grimm chomping at the air as Jack held its body, Weiss saw that its ankles were bound with thick twine, preventing it from clawing at the Faunus' hand.

"Yes, it's a Vermin," Jack said plainly as the Grimm struggled in his hand. "And _you _are going to use it for Summoning practice."

"But why would I want to use _that_?" Weiss asked indignantly.

"If a larger, stronger Grimm is harder to summon, than the inverse must _also _be true," Jack answered matter-of-factly like it were the most-logical thing in the world. "Since _this _one is uninjured, once you kill it, it'll retain its full strength whenever you summon it in the future. And let me tell you, _catching _this thing without killing it was a bitch and a half."

"But when would I ever _want _to Summon something like that?" she asked distastefully as she reiterated her previous inquiry.

"Hey, don't diss the idea so-quickly. These little guys can chew through concrete and even _steel_, not to mention they can squeeze through really small places and are pretty good swimmers. It might not be the most _glamorous _kinda Grimm to Summon, but it'll _definitely _get you out of a tough bind if you can summon Splinter without anyone noticing."

"You _named _him?!" Weiss gawked. "Also, why _Splinter_?"

"Because I got a splinter while trying to catch him, _duh_," Jack answered flatly. "Now, take that knife, and _kill _this thing!" he said holding it out to Weiss by its bony tail, the Grimm flailing about.

"And what if I say _no_?" the heiress asked as the Grimm tried to take a bite out of his fingers.

" . . . "

" . . . "

" . . . "

" . . . "

The stare-down between the two went on for a full minute before the stalemate was brought to a forceful end.

"Whoops!" Jack suddenly said tossing the Vermin into the air,.

"EYAAAAAGH!" Weiss cried as beady red eyes bored into her own, the heiress gripping the knife and thrusting the knife upward, impaling the Vermin against the bed board with a _***SHUNK***_.

"Wow. Nice aim," Jack complimented as the Vermin began to evaporate.

_***Whop***_

"EWWWWWW!" Weiss shrieked as the flesh and bone impaled by the knife evaporated away first, the Grimm dropping right into her lap. "GROSSGROSSGROSSGROSSGROSS!" the heiress shrieked as she tried to toss it away.

"Look at it!" Jack said grabbing the back of her head and forcing her gaze forward. "Look at it and don't look away!" he said holding her eye open with the other hand. "Acknowledge the life you've taken! Never forget! Even if it's a _Grimm_, don't forget! That's the whole _point_, isn't it?"

"So… So gross…" Weiss shuddered as the Grimm continued to evaporate right in her lap.

A minute later and the last scrap of flesh and bone completely decomposed, the Faunus moving over to the side and opening up a window.

"There. That wasn't so bad, now was it?"

_***WHAP!***_

_***NEW WORLD***_

"You didn't have to _slap me_, you know…" Jack said nursing a hand-shaped print on his cheek a minute later.

"Consider it payback for the rude _wakeup _call," Weiss stated as she shook her sore hand.

"Alright, I concede, I _did _kinda deserve that," Jack said rubbing the print on his cheek, a halo of crimson Aura shining beneath his palm until the mark disappeared.

"That you did," Weiss hummed, looking up at the knife still-impaled in the underside of Ruby's bed before turning her gaze to an upturned palm, willing a small sword-laden Glyph to appear. " . . . Summon," she intoned aloud in an experimental tone.

A flurry of snow-colored light spilling upward, momentarily blinding her, a palette-swapped version of the Grimm she'd just slain appeared in her waiting palm, the heiress cupping both hands beneath the newfound weight. In comparison to its ravenous counterpart moments before, this one was absolutely _tame_; some would even dare to venture, _cute_, as it sat on its haunches, nose twitching as it looked up at her expectantly.

" . . . Huh…" she hummed after a few moments.

"What?"

"It's just… I'd been having trouble with this for so long, so to finally succeed _now_…" the heiress trailed off as she set the Summon down, letting it scurry atop the bed and then the rest of the room. " . . . Was I aiming too high?" she asked herself.

"Too high with _what_?"

"Oh, right, I never told you," Weiss realized. "Before I came to Beacon, my father arranged a final test for me when he learned I wouldn't be attending Atlas Academy."

"I assume the cards were _not _in your favor."

"Not in the slightest, but that's what made victory all the sweeter," Weiss admitted. "The Arma Gigas I fought, it was comparable in strength to a mecha-suit, and being possessed by Grimm, the armor that was being possessed was made significantly stronger," she began, her hand going to the scar over her eye.

"When you say mecha-suit, are you talking _military_, or _industrial_?"

"I've never seen an _industrial _mecha-suit first-hand, so I'll _assume _military?" Weiss said as more of a question, thinking back to the demos she'd witnessed when the SDC would roll out new product onto the market. "Anyway, ever since that battle, between referencing books on Hereditary Semblance and Winter's notes, I'd been trying to summon it, but had no luck for the longest time. When Whitley was able to Summon so-easily I'd almost lost hope, but having everything put into _context _like this…" she said watching "Splinter" out the corner of her eye. " . . . Yes… Maybe I _was _aiming a little high for my _first _Summon. You can't run before you can walk, after all," she realized.

"Well _that's _an understatement," Jack nodded. "I've fought a few of those things in the past, and let me tell you, depending on what armor they possess, they can be _damn _terrifying."

"You've fought Arma Gigas before?"

"Regular Joes call them 'Possessed Armor', but yeah, I've fought Grimm-possessed suits of armor before," Jack answered. "Sometimes a Geist will take over rocks, or trees, or both. One time a whole _haunting _of them possessed an old _house _out in the woods, I _literally _had to dive into the belly of the beast to beat it."

"A whole _house_?" Weiss asked half-shocked, half-incredulous.

"Well, I mean it wasn't just _one _possessing the house. Like I said, it was _several _of them, spreading the work-load, which was what made it _especially _trying to deal with," Jack hummed, thinking back to the undulating floors, the flying furniture courtesy of lesser Grimm, and of course, that the bone-chill utterly _sapped _his strength.

"Hm. Yes. The one I fought was _also _possessed by several… I'm such an _idiot_!" she suddenly gaped.

"Won't disagree with you, but _why_?"

Shooting him a cross look, the heiress let out a sigh before continuing.

"All this time I've been trying to summon the Arma Gigas like it was a single entity, when I'd completely _overlooked _the fact it was _multiple_, a _haunting _of Geist possessing that suit of armor," she said as it dawned on her. "I was so-focused on the memory of _what _I was fighting, I let the subtler details slip my mind."

"Well, like I'm sure your sister has told you before, Semblance, even Hereditary, are like muscles. The more you train them, the stronger they'll get. Think of managing to Summon Splinter as a light warmup before the 50-meter dash," Jack stated. "Now that you have real _success _to build on, you can work your way up to bigger and bigger Grimm, and then your Summoning will be _really _terrifying."

"I prefer the term _awe-inspiring_," Weiss countered. "Being terrifying is _your _thing."

"Hey, just because you want respect doesn't mean you can't be feared _as well_," Jack chuckled.

"I guess so," Weiss nodded. "Oh, and Jack… Thanks. And sorry for slapping you."

"Hey, no big deal. Isn't the _first _time I've been slapped by a woman," the Faunus chuckled with a cheeky grin.

"Well of _course _it isn't. You're _you,_" Weiss chuckled with a small grin, before turning her attention back to the Summoned Grimm. Her _first _Summoned Grimm. " . . . Sic him."

"Dammit, Weiss! This isn't funny!" Jack cried trapping the lunging Grimm between his hands, the snow-white creature chomping at the air in front of it.

"It's _kinda _funny~" Weiss giggled. _***POOF* **_"AAAAUGH! Splinter! Nooooooo!"

"What are _you _getting upset about? You can just Summon him _again_, you know."

"That's _beside _the point!"

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Well… _Someone's _certainly having fun," Jack hummed as he worked ingredients into a bowl and pestle, Weiss sitting up and looking at her desk where a reborn Splinter organized the heiress' school supplies as-commanded.

"Hm, yes, success _is _quite fun," Weiss hummed with a smile, satisfied she was finally able to summon. While having a Vermin as her first Summon was _far _from glamorous, a success was a success. One she could readily, and happily, build upon.

"So, what're you going to "_capture_" next?"

"Hmmm… Maybe a murder of Nevermore?" the heiress answered. "My sister has a substantial collection of them, in far better condition that what my brother wielded, and while individually they aren't all that strong, in a congregated group they can be quite devastating."

"Well, I'm sure if we explain your situation to the Border Patrol, they'll point us toward a rookery or two. You being a _Schnee _will definitely smooth things along as well, since they aren't too fond of thrill-seekers looking for Grimm for the hell of it," Jack hummed in turn. " . . . What're you even _doing _over there?"

"I'm seeing how-detailed a set of instructions my Summons are able to follow," Weiss said putting a hand to her temple, once again transmitting thoughts to her Summon. "When I was younger, I had the opportunity to witness Winter commanding Summons with her thoughts alone. I thought doing so myself would be as simple as thinking it, but there are a lot more caveats to it than I initially thought," she said as Splinter began carrying out a different block of instructions, albeit not exactly as-instructed.

"Yes, well, as long as you don't settle for damaged merchandise like your _brother_, you won't have to worry about becoming a douchebag."

"Harsh but true," Weiss admitted. " . . . Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"There's something I wanted to say to you. For helping me out like this," the heiress said with a soft smile on her face.

"What is it?" Jack asked.

A moment later, Splinter scurried up Jack's bedpost and onto the bed, a folded-up piece of paper held in its mouth. The Faunus plucking the scrap of paper free, Jack gave it a once-over before turning to the side.

"Splinter's handwriting is terrible."

"Read the mood, you dope!" Weiss cried back.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhere in Beacon…

"It just doesn't feel the same… Weiss not being here and all," Jaune sighed that afternoon at lunch. "Weiss was always so _elegant_, even as she ate."

"It _is _a noticeable absence," Pyrrha nodded while Jaune wistfully sighed toward the empty seat Weiss would've occupied.

"Yeah, and Jack's gone _too_," Nora sighed. "Things are always so _exciting _when he's around."

"'Exciting' isn't the word _I _would use," Ren sighed.

When "Jack" ever needed any form of contextual association, most went with "chaos" since he left a trail of it in his wake wherever he went.

"So… whaddya think they're up to?" Ruby asked.

"Who knows. Probably something boring," Blake hummed from her book.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Strip."

"WHAT!?"

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Yeah, you're probably right," Yang hummed in agreement. "Un_less…~_"

"Unless _what_?" her partner asked.

"Maybe they're doing something… _pervy_~?"

"I sincerely doubt that's the case."

_***NEW WORLD***_

"I'm going to rub some medicine on you."

"Oh…"

"What, did you think I meant something _else_?"

"N-_No_! Of _course _not!"

"Doesn't _sound _like it."

"Shut up and put your hands on my body!"

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Yeah, you're probably right. Un_less…~_" the blond repeated.

"Yang, there is no 'unless' here. Jack and Weiss do _not _have that sort of relationship," Blake huffed.

"Hey, a girl can _daydream_, can't she?"

"Yang, I'm… _confused_," Pyrrha spoke up, with a look on her face to match. "You _like _Jack, don't you?"

"Yep."

"And you want to _date _him."

"Also 'yep'."

"And at the same time, you're fantasizing about…"

"An interracial scandalous romantic tryst, yes."

" . . . _Why _though?" she asked, still confused since she _herself _was grappling with similar issues.

"Okay, you want the short version? Yes, I _do _like Jack. Maybe even _love _him," she stated much to the other's shock since concepts like "love" weren't so-readily dropped by people of their age group in so-serious a tone. "It's just… I'm afraid that even if I _do _love him… I might not love him _enough_…"

She wanted to add "to stay" to that "love him enough", but thought better of it since that'd lead to some _uncomfortable _questions she didn't want Ruby exposed to just yet.

The girl was still blissfully unaware of her elder sister's "mommy issues", and Yang wanted to _keep it _that way.

"Look, my dad always told me that, barring some _really _exceptional circumstances, dating within the team _always _ends in disaster," the blond tacked on.

"So what you're saying is, before you massively alter your team's paradigm, you want to be very certain that any relationship you have with Jack will last long-term and not compromise the integrity or interpersonal relationships of your _team_?" Ren asked in as many words.

"Yeah, that's _exactly _why," Yang answered.

At this, Ren could only nod, not buying Yang's answer for a _second_.

"…You think Jack and _Weiss _are having downer conversations like this?" Nora asked after a couple minutes.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Not like _we'll _ever know," Ren hummed as he returned to his meal.

_***NEW WORLD***_

After the rather _embarrassing _misunderstanding and Weiss having a bad-smelling salve rubbed into her back, it came time for lunch, courtesy of the Emerald Forest.

"For lunch this afternoon, we have a lovely pan-seared Capture Level 3 Rainbow Salmon accented with lemon accompanied by a medley of steamed mountain vegetables, a side a hearty serving of yogurt with mountain berries, and an assortment of mountain-borne fruit for your tasting pleasure," Jack said in a mockingly upscale tone as he presented their lunch like a sommelier, a lock of hair held up to his lip in effigy of a mustache. "And for your beverage, glistening mountain spring water tapped directly from the source at peak freshness," he said gesturing to a pitcher filled with plastic ice cubes and crystal-clear water.

"Oh my… This looks _amazing_!" Weiss awed as Jack dropped a garnishing of parsley atop the salmon. "Though you didn't need to be so _snobbish _about it," she pouted at his mocking tone.

"Hey, I'm just giving you a little taste of _home_," Jack shrugged.

"Yeah, well…" Weiss trailed off. _"Some of us came to Beacon to get _away _from home…" _she muttered to herself.

"You know I can totally _hear _that, right?"

"Shut up and eat your lunch," Weiss huffed as she bit into the Rainbow Salmon and mountain vegetables, feeling her body surge with strength as it fought off her illness. "Jack…?"

"Yeah?"

"How did you become so strong?" she asked sipping her spring water.

"There's no big secret. Hard work and plenty _of _it," Jack answered between bites. "You city kids in your walled-off towns can _choose _to become strong, but for those of us not-as-fortunate to have high walls, guards, and auto-turrets doing the heavy lifting for us, we _have _to become strong. A day out there's worth a week in this place, so that means I get more mileage out of my training," he elaborated. "Hell, with how-low they've set the bar as of late, I could probably pass my final-year exams and become a Hunter right _now_?"

"Why _don't _you then?" Weiss asked. "And what makes you think you could become a fully-fledged Huntsman right _now _anyway?"

"The reason I _don't _is because four years of free room and board is something you can only enjoy when you're young or retired. As for the other thing, if the _Rogue _Hunters I've fought and/or killed are anything to go by, it's that they've lowered the bar more and more since the days of Jaune's grandfather so they could have a greater _quantity _of warm bodies out in the Frontier with an 'acceptable' decline in quantity," Jack answered, thinking back to all the bounties he'd claimed because he happened to be in the right place at the right time. "I'm just glad these schools pump out truly _exceptional _Hunters every couple years, otherwise we'd all be _fucked_."

Just because a Village had a Hunter on-site didn't mean it was safe. Not if they were complete _shit _at their jobs.

"Are there really Hunter Academy graduates as weak as you say there are?" Weiss asked, worriedly.

"Well, for _me_, 'weak' as a metric might be 'strong' from _your _perspective," Jack said stabbing his claw into a wild strawberry and holding it up. "However, give a guy a 'force field' for long-enough and he'll get _really _full of himself. Not that I'm complaining, I've made _scads _of money off guys like that. Gotta love that Human arrogance; padding my bank account since my mid-teens."

"Well _that's_… sobering…" Weiss hummed, the pace of her eating slowed.

"If you think _that's _sobering, wait 'til I tell you about the time I slaughtered an entire _village_," Jack chuckled darkly as he bit into an apple with sharp teeth. "I mean, I didn't slaughter _everyone_, just the _rapists, _but _still_!"

"It sounds like the Frontier outside the Kingdom Walls is an utter _hell_," Weiss said, her appetite waning only for her stomach to disagree.

"Which is why they can sucker you with elevated taxes whenever they feel like it," Jack shrugged noncommittally as he ate.

" . . . Hey Jack, can I ask you something else?" Weiss asked after a tense moment.

"Sure. What?"

"Why… did you erase everyone's memories yesterda-"

_***PTOOOOOOO!***_

"You _remember _that?!"

"Ugh! You can answer me _later_! Just grab me a _towel_, you dope!"

_***NEW WORLD***_

Suffice it to say, spring water tapped fresh from the source was _not _pleasant when made into backwash-in-projectile-form.

"Okay, first: WHAT! Second: THE FUCK?!"

Good thing they were back in their room, otherwise half of _Beacon _would've heard this outburst.

"Nice to see _you're _calm about all this."

"How the heck do you _remember _any of that? In case you don't remember, ironically, I _dusted _you guys yesterday."

"Yes, well, after that little mishap with Ruby before school even started, I've been _really _paranoid about Dust Explosions going off in my face," Weiss sighed thinking back to one of her more-_awkward _moments. "When I saw you raising that tin above your head, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I retreated to the back of the group. I got hit by the smallest amount of it, so while I forgot some of the _nonsense_, I didn't forget about the greater multiverse being revealed as _fact_."

"Well, at least _you _remembered. If it were anyone _else_, they might not have the good sense to keep quiet about it," Jack sighed, wondering how he could salvage this whole fiasco.

The reason he didn't tell anyone in the White Fang, especially Adam, about what happened during his own extradimensional adventure is because no-one would _believe _him. Sure, there was a lot of weird shit out in the Frontier that no-one could explain, but he _had _been working consecutive shifts in-succession up to that point, and no-one (living) was there to witness him "leaving the building". Suffice it to say, despite whatever evidence to the contrary he was able to bring back, claiming you got sucked into another dimension via "wormhole in the sky" was the kind of shit you got _committed _for.

"Even if someone _did _say something, would anyone _believe _them?"

"You need to be less-worried about the people that _don't _over the people that _do_," Jack said rubbing his eyes.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because there is some _really _freaky shit out there," Jack said jerking his head out the window toward the mountains in the distance.

"Like what?"

"Really. Freaky. Shit," Jack shuddered, thinking back to all the creepy, fucked up, Eldritch _shit_ he'd ever encountered.

"Like what?" the heiress repeated.

"Like a male skeleton in bed with a female clothing store mannequin, and in the ensuite, a trio of male clothing store mannequins holding knives over a female skeleton in a tub of murky water."

"I… I… I can't even tell if you're _joking _or not…"

"I wish I _were, _Weiss. I wish I were," Jack shuddered. "And that isn't even counting the _cults _I've had the misfortune of running into. You claim a grilled cheese has magic powers to desperate-enough people, and they'll worship just about _anything._"

You wander around Ghost Villages long-enough and you see some _really _up-fucked shit.

"Okay… Moving on…" Weiss said trying to purge that rather _disturbing _imagery from her thoughts. "Why was it so-important you erase our memories? Don't you _trust _us?"

"Weiss, let me tell you a little something about the multiverse," Jack stated in turn. "There's an infinite amount of ways things can go wrong, and only one where _everyone_ gets a 'happily ever after' at the end. You yutzes only knew about the multiverse for a few _minutes _and you were already coming apart at the seams. Do you really think you'd all be able to go about your everyday lives, happy as you are, if you had to cope with the insignificance of your own meager existence?"

"Oh, like _you _can?"

"I _have to_," Jack answered, causing Weiss' snark to stop short. "I didn't _ask _to get dragged down that badger hole, but I did, and I have to _live _with it. Live with knowing how no matter what I do in life, in the end it all amounts to nothing because there's an infinite number of 'me' that are able to do it better, or an infinite number of 'me' that simply _have it _better, and that I'm possibly one of the infinite number of 'me' that don't _get _their happy ending. That no matter how hard I try in the end I'm going to fail, or that if I succeed there's going to be an infinite number of 'me' that fail in my stead."

"Wow, that's… an impossibly-heavy burden to bear…" Weiss realized with wide eyes.

"Why do you think I'm so fucked-up in the _head_?" Jack asked, a finger-gun to his head blowing his metaphorical brains out. "You know why they say 'ignorance is bliss'? It's because of shit like _this_. Because some people can't _handle _the truth."

When confronted with the insignificance of one's own existence, some people had a complete and total psychotic breakdown.

It was _not _a pretty picture.

"So… you've carried this burden… all this time?"

"Only for a year or two," Jack waved off. "Still, since memory-altering drugs don't seem to work on me anymore, I'm going to have to live with this for either the rest of my life, or until I get so old and senile I can't remember anything from 'the good old days'. Assuming I live long enough to _go senile._"

"Well… I guess this means you aren't _alone _anymore."

"Hah?"

"Because this is a weight you and I will just have to bear together," Weiss said, a soft smile on her face.

"Take the out."

"What?"

"Take the out, Weiss. You'll be a lot happier that way."

"Damnit, Jack! This isn't about me being _happy_! It's about doing what's _right_, for my friends! For _you_!" the heiress asserted.

" . . . Well when you put it like that, I really _can't _take away those memories, now can I?"

"Not like you _could. _You're all out of Amnesia Dust."

"There's more than one way to skin a cat, Weiss."

"Huh?"

"Nothing," Jack sighed, realizing Weiss wasn't going to budge on this.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Well… despite my illness and… _other _setbacks…" Weiss shuddered thinking back to the dead Grimm that'd literally fallen into her lap and the rather 'downer' thoughts about one's insignificance in comparison to the rest of the multiverse, "I think the day has been pretty productive so far," she finished as she and Jack continued to work on the day's homework assignments as the details were texted their way from the forward party.

No need to wait the _whole _day to get started on it.

"Yep. Your face has a _lot _more color to it _now_," Jack nodded, scrawling at his Plasmology essay.

"Yes, and I _feel _better too. I really appreciate you taking care of me."

"It's no big deal. I'm sure back home you had whole _legions _of maids and butlers following your every whim."

"Maybe, but it was their _job _to take care of me. You _volunteered_ without expecting anything in return. Well… not _not _'anything'… but you know what I mean."

"Right."

"Still though… I'm so _excited_! I finally managed to _Summon_! Oh, I can't _wait _to show Winter!"

"Get a few more Grimm in the stables before you get too excited. A lone Vermin a Summoner does not make," Jack waved down. "If you _really _want to impress her… I think I might be able to help with that," he said with a devious grin on his face.

"I'm not sure I _like _that look on your face…" Weiss trailed off. "What are you cooking up _this _time?"

"I'll tell you later. Right now, just focus on getting _well_," Jack said turning back to his schoolwork.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Strip."

"You keep that smelly gunk _away _from me!" Weiss yelped, pressing herself to the far wall.

"Relax, no more 'smelly medicine'," Jack assuaged, only _slightly _offended by the jab at the fruits of his hard work. "But no, seriously, _strip_."

"I-I-I-I do not con_sent-_"

"I'm going to give you a deep-tissue massage."

"Oh…"

"Did you think I meant something else _that _time?" Jack chuckled with a raised brow.

" . . . Fine. I'll strip. But you'd _better _turn around," Weiss said turning her own back to him. "Also, I'll have you know, no _ordinary _massage will do. I've been worked over by the most-skilled and articulate hands in Atlas," she said haughtily.

"Uh, _phrasing_?" Jack quipped, causing Weiss to flush beet red as she pulled her nightgown over her head, laying face-down on her bed in nothing but her panties a moment later.

"I mean it. If you can't perform, I'll _ruin _you," the heiress said mirthfully.

"Oh, I'm _always _ready to perform~" Jack said with a waggle of his brow, only for Weiss to chuff in his direction. "No, but in all seriousness, you're _very _trusting about me asking you to take off your clothes," he stated, a bit of surprise in his tone. "I thought you'd be a real _prude _about it, to be honest."

"Yes, well, since we're going to be teammates for the next four years, seeing one another in the buff is… _inevitable_, I suppose," Weiss admitted. "However, I _will _hurt you if you try anything _untoward _towards me," she warned, an icy glare pointed his way. "The only reason I'm acquiescing to this is for medicinal purposes only, and deep-tissue massages have _always _helped my disposition."

"Well, to be honest, 'deep-tissue' is a bit of a _misnomer_," Jack admitted. "What I'm _really _going to be doing is using my _Aura_ to smooth out the flow of Aura inside your body to help facilitate your recovery."

"You can really _do _that?" Weiss asked with wide eyes and jolting up from her pillow, only to clap her hands on her breasts and dive back down.

"To an extent," Jack shrugged, completely nonplussed; subconsciously to Weiss' ire. "When Aura flows through the Meridians or Ley Lines or Circuits or _whatever _you want to call them, that means your body _and _spirit are healthy. However, when either _one _of those things is out of balance, the flow of spiritual energy can become… messy."

"Messy?"

"I mean… If you imagine the flow of Aura through your body like water in a river, because real life is _messy_, the water doesn't always flow _smoothly _because lots of random crap gets in and clogs it up at placces," he attempted to explain. "By the same measure, when you're sick or in distress, the Aura in your body can thicken, or _congeal _in certain parts of your body," he elaborated. "However, because Aura is _metaphysical _in nature, science-based medicines can't help. That's where esoteric knowledge like this really shines, even in the modern world."

"So, if you 'smooth out' the flow of Aura through my body, I'll get better?" Weiss asked. "I don't really _feel _like my Aura isn't flowing smoothly."

"Do you ever _feel _the blood coursing through your veins? Or the synapses dancing across the neurons in your brain?" Jack asked, the heiress shaking her head. "That's exactly it. Your Aura is such a part of you that, even when its unbalanced, unless you've _attained _balance, you won't notice."

"Oh, so _you've _attained 'balance'?" Weiss asked with a raised brow and a sarcastic wit, thinking back to every time his Rage Button had been sufficiently depressed.

"Only very briefly, and I was hopped up on a _lot _of herbal relaxants," Jack answered to her skepticism. "Like, enough herbal relaxants to knock out a small _village_."

And he wasn't _lying _either. He needed to be hopped up on a _lot _of drugs to get past what happened to his mother even _briefly_.

"Because of _course _you can handle that much," Weiss sighed tiredly.

"The point I'm trying to make is, what happens to one affects the other. Even if your body from a _mechanical _standpoint is healthy, if your _spirit _is weary, you'll feel fatigued. In turn, if your _body _is fatigued, your spirit will grow weak."

"So then… What does it _look _like? _Seeing _Aura?" she asked curiously.

"It's like… looking at _fire_," Jack answered. "All the people and animals and plants have a little of it in them. At a passing glance it's like they're _bathed _in it, but if I really _focus_, I can actually see the _flow_."

"And that's what you'll use on _me_?" Weiss asked, feeling a little bit vulnerable.

"Relax. Aura Vision isn't the same as _X-Ray _Vision. You don't have to worry about me seeing you naked," Jack chuckled, pulling up a chair to the bedside. "Well, more than I already _have_," he added, only to get a playful slap in the face with the heiress' pillow.

"Don't _make _me regret _trusting _you," Weiss stated as she shifted atop the bed, hiking the covers over her bare buttocks out of habit as she buried her face into her pillow.

"You won't regret it."

Jack, closing his eyes, let everything else fade away, the sound, sight, smell, and taste of the world around him dimming darker and darker until everything went black.

Snow-white flames piercing the darkness, bathing his "third eye" in light, Jack beheld the petite silhouette of his teammate. "Squinting" his "third eye", the flames that "bathed" Weiss began to peel away, revealing the tiny rivulets of fire flowing underneath.

Eyes roving the ebbs and floes of spiritual energy beneath his fingertips as his hands descended towards her, extending his middle and index fingers, Jack traced the meridians flowing through Weiss' body until he found a node in the small of her back where the flow had begun to stagnate, affecting the floes that followed in its wake. Stretching out his arms toward her, fingertips forming a fine point, when the quartet of fingertips found Weiss' ivory-colored skin the girl yelped with a cute- "Eep!" -and shuddered beneath the unfamiliar touch.

Back in Atlas, the masseurs that handled her aches and pains had soft, _supple _hands; hands that had never known a hard day's work in their entire lives. So to have rough, calloused fingers pressing against her own soft, flawless skin was a sensation she was wholly unprepared for

"I… I'm fine… Keep going," Weiss breathed out between the sparks tingling her skin. _'Is this what they mean by 'skinship'?' _she questioned. _'Is this what _Yang _aims for…?'_

Jack, nodding his head, focused his attention back on his patient, unaware of her thoughts.

Rivulets of crimson fire coming into view from his own arms, Jack pressed his fingers firmly into Weiss' back and "injected" his Aura it into her own, tongues of red mixing with white causing the tangled-up node to become unraveled, a surge of new energy flowing through the heiress' spiritual body.

"Hyaun!"

"H-Huh?!" Jack gawped.

"Keep… Keep going…"

"O… Okay…"

Finding another clogged node by her right shoulder blade, Jack repeated what he'd done before, the flow of snow-colored fire through her body turning more vibrant as little by little, he cleared out the "mess" in the heiress' spiritual body.

Finding his rhythm, Jack began his work, heedless of any… distraction.

"This… feels so good…" Weiss panted as her toes began to curl. "I can't believe… you can make me feel this good… just by touching…!" she gasped as a particularly _thick _node came uncorded, her back arching. "It feels like something… is flowing inside my body…!"

"Uh, _phrasing_…?"

"Shut up and touch me more!" the heiress ordered firmly.

_'I… think I might've just heard something I have no business hearing…' _Jack thought to himself as he continued his ministrations, the heiress' body filling with renewed vitality as he freed up her congealed spiritual energy, the girl squirming and writhing under his touch. _'Whoever she marries someday better be able to do this too, otherwise I am just _ruining _her for other men.'_

But that was a story for another day.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"That… _*pant* _was… _*pant* amazing_~" Weiss purred, face buried into her pillow as she flopped out across her bed in a very unladylike manner, all the tension in her body completely gone.

"Yes, that's… _one _word for it," Jack hummed awkwardly, back turned to her as he pulled the covers back over her buttocks from when he'd freed up the nodes in her calves and thighs.

With her express permission of course.

"Hey um… Weiss… We're just going to keep this our own little secret, right?"

"What!? Are you kidding?! I want _everyone _to feel like this! This wonderful skinship I am beholden to!" Weiss said excitedly, scrambling around for her Scroll, heedless of any and all nudity. "I'd be absolutely _remiss _to hoard this nirvana all to myself," she sighed wistfully.

_'Okay, I get that cleansing her Meridians or whatever is meant to have a _therapeutic _effect, but isn't this a bit _much_?' _Jack asked before chopping her atop the head. "Weiss, calm your tits for a moment and think about it. If _everyone _found out about this… doesn't that mean you'd get to feel this way less and less?"

It was an ass-pull to be sure, but at the moment it was all he had.

" . . . We can't tell _anyone _about this," Weiss said seriously as she dressed herself.

"Glad you know me so well," Jack sighed happy Weiss innate heiress selfishness wasn't _totally _gone.

It was one thing to hear the words coming out of _Weiss _mouth, but if he heard stuff like that coming from any of the _other _girls on his team, Ruby being the "adorable little sister with a boyfriend", Blake being the "girl next door he'd bathed with as children", and Yang being… well… the girl he was debating whether or not it'd be ethical to romantically _pursue _her or not…

Call him the can-opener, because he was opening up _many _proverbial cans of worms.

Then again, he was rooming with four girls in a co-ed dormitory, so that was just par for the course.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Third-period homework assignment… sent," Ruby nodded after third block.

"And after this, all we have left is gym," Yang nodded casually. "Still, couldn't we just give them their homework at the _end _of the day? Like _normal _people?"

"No need to wait the whole _day _to get started on it," Blake chimed in.

"Yeah, that's fair."

"If any of _us _ever get sick, we should probably do that too," Jaune hummed.

"Not it!" Nora whooped.

"I wouldn't trust you to do this anyway," Jaune hummed.

Deep down, even though she was a beast on the fighting room floor, Jaune thought Nora was a bit of a spaz sometimes.

How Ren wasn't ripping his hair out over her… Guy must've had the patience of a _saint._

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Well… _You're _certainly having fun," Jack hummed off to the side as he watched Weiss practice her newly-_awakened _proficiency Summoning; infantile it may be.

At first Weiss practiced exclusively with "Splinter". As the first Grimm she'd summoned, now that she _could _Summon, the next step was to work on the summoning _itself_.

So, like training a muscle, Weiss repeatedly summoned and dismissed the Vermin, over and over again. To the untrained eye it might've looked like nothing was really changing, but Jack's eyes were _far _from untrained so he was able to see that with each repetition, the time it took to summon, the time required to dismiss, and the lag before she could summon again was getting smaller and smaller, little by little.

Sure, the timing would obviously be different for larger, _stronger _Grimm and the Glyphs would have to be more-intricate and more energy would have to be spent, but she'd only been able to summon reliably for a _day_. She could _afford _to take her time with some low-risk training. Especially in school where room and board were provided, thus freeing her up from having to work for a living.

Part of the reason why some Hunters stagnated early-on in their careers after graduating was because they had to spend so much time struggling to make ends meet, they couldn't dedicate any time to actually growing _stronger _through training or auxiliary study.

Just like ammo, weapons, clothing, and food, time was _also _a "resource" that needed careful management.

All the money in the world can't buy you even one more second of time.

"I think I'm starting to understand what Winter meant, more and more," Weiss hummed as she once again summoned Splinter, this time only requiring five seconds to do so.

If she could obscure the Glyph somehow, she could compensate for how "showy" it was.

Then again, since the Summoning Glyphs lit Weiss up like a bright neon sign, both figuratively and literally, that was easier said than done.

Like has been said for ages. Baby steps.

"Well, I'm glad _you're _having fun with your new toy," Jack hummed as he worked on Roland's assignment. "Still, if you don't want to spend the rest of the evening until bed working on homework, maybe you should set the rat down and get started."

"Yes, I suppose you're right," Weiss sighed, dismissing her Summon one more time before gathering her school supplies and getting to the _boring _work. "I can work on summoning larger Grimm _later_, I suppose."

Even _Weiss _could think schoolwork was boring when presented with a more-entertaining alternative.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Death by red rubber…"

"Jaune, you've been moaning that for the last ten minutes. Give it a _rest_, will ya?" Yang sighed tiredly, both teams making their way back to the dorms after the game of "Death by Dodgeball" Brick had subjected them to.

At any other school, a buff-as-hell gym teacher beaning students with rubber dodgeballs would be considered abuse, or power harassment, or any number of things. But at a Hunter academy where the students of that course would be fighting monster, learning how to "dodge" was something that could only be learned while being on the defensive.

Hence, Brick spent most of the class period beaning everyone with dodgeballs.

Now, normally this wouldn't be so bad, they had _Aura _to protect them. However, when the guy _throwing _the balls had arms as thick as tree trunks and weighed as much as a small automobile, that Aura got chipped away pretty quickly, leaving everyone involved covered in bruises by the end of the day.

"Did we even _learn _anything from all that?" Blake asked.

"We learned the 5 Ds of Dodgeball…" Ruby moaned, rubbing the bruise forming across her stomach. "Dodge, dip, duck, dive, and dodge."

"You said 'dodge' _twice_."

"It could be _worse_," Ren hummed. "He could've started by throwing _wrenches _at us."

"Well _that _seemed… oddly specific," Pyrrha hummed.

"If you can dodge a _wrench_, you can dodge a _ball_," Nora hummed, even _her _exuberant energy depleted.

"That was even _more _weirdly specific," the red-head hummed.

_***Creak***_

_***Creak***_

_***Creak***_

_***Creak***_

"Um… _Guys_… What's that noise?" Ruby asked, a hand to her ear.

"It's coming from _our _room," Yang realized.

The two teams approaching the door and pressing their ears to it, their faces began to flush in response to the muffled words that greeted them.

_"Jack… I can't… I can't hold _on _any longer,"_ Weiss gasped amidst the creaking of furniture.

_"Don't worry, Weiss! I'm right here beside you!"_

The next moment there was a large _***THUMP* **_against the nearby wall, books falling to the floor from an overhead shelf accompanied by a feminine- "Ahn!"

"Whoa _momma _that's hot," Nora whistled.

"What… When… How…?" Jaune stammered.

"Well, when Jack said he was going to _take care _of Weiss, he really _meant _it," Yang nodded, a mix between pride and regret sounding in her tone.

"Should we… Should we come back _later_?" Pyrrha asked as furniture rattled just beyond the door.

"Do we even _want _to come back later?" Blake asked as she heard a desk lamp getting knocked over, the images of the two of them "getting their freak on" filling her mind.

"It sounds like they're getting their _freak _on."

"Nora…"

"When… When did the two of them get this _close_?" Jaune gaped.

"Maybe… it's the Florence Nightingale Effect?" Pyrrha postulated.

"No, that's when the _caregiver _develops romantic feelings for the _patient_," Blake interjected. "The opposite is 'transference'."

"Oh."

The next moment a chair scraped across the floor.

"_I'm _not cleaning that up," Ruby stated, growing a little flushed in the face as she backed away from the door, squirming uncomfortably.

"Not it."

"Not i-Crap!" Yang swore.

" . . . Well! Good luck with that!" Nora said with a wave of her hand as she strode to her room.

"Wait, we can't _leave _yet!" Jaune cried.

"Why not? Not like _we _have a dog in this fight," Nora hummed as she went for the knob, washing her hands of the whole thing once it stopped amusing her.

"Well… I'm going to get started on my homework," Ren hummed washing _his _hands of that conversation as well.

"Jaune…" Pyrrha said, her hand to his shoulder; the affections he held for the currently-ill member of Team RWBBY was no real secret. "I…"

The next moment there was a pained, _anguished_ shriek from the other side of the door, Jaune's shoes scuffing the floor as he snatched Ruby's Scroll from her side and dove for the door.

A moment later, said door came off its hinges as a large Boarbatusk-like creature, colored like freshly fallen snow, barreled through it, completely flattening Jaune.

"Weiss! Hang on!" Jack cried, belly-down atop the Grimm-like creature as he held onto it by its tusks.

"I'm…! Trying…!" the heiress growled in turn, belly-down atop Jack's back and holding onto the tusks as well.

"GANG WAAAAAAAY!" Ruby cried as she dove to the side, the Boarbatusk-like creature swinging its head and bucking its legs, leaving a ruined room in its wake as it ran into the hall, flanks crashing into the walls.

"Whoa! Who brought home the _bacon_!" Yang cried out in shock.

"Okay, _that _one was pretty good," Blake conceded.

"Yes!" Yang whooped, pumping a fist.

"Stop, Bacon Bits!" Weiss pleaded as the creature galloped down the hall.

"You named it _that_?!" Jack yelped.

"It seemed _appropriate_!"

"Weiss, that's fucking _dark_! I know that pigs will happily eat bacon but _still_!"

"Hey, what's all the _noise_ out here!?" Vincent demanded, stepping out of his room at the end of the hall. "OH CRAP!" he yelped, eyes going wide as the Grimm and its passengers barreled towards him. Hands of flesh and chrome grabbing onto its tusks, riding boots squealing against the hardwood floor before a buck of the Summoned Grimm's neck threw him overhead, Weiss yelping as she was sandwiched between the two young men.

A few seconds later and the wild Summon dove through the window at the end of the hall, taking its screaming passengers along for the ride.

Nora, who poked her head out JNPR's door the moment RWBBY's door came down, decided to make her thoughts on the matter known.

"Oh. So they _weren't _getting their freak on," Nora whined like someone who'd lost out on something interesting. "Don't worry, Jaune. Maybe next time it'll be _you _in there."

"Don't patronize me," he moaned from beneath the collapsed door.

"I'll call the RA," Yang sighed.

"The RA just went out the window," Blake stated.

"Crapbaskets," Ruby moaned as she looked into their room.

Whole place looked like a _tornado _came through there.


	14. Mission Statement

**TM11: **Ok, this one was funny and entertaining! Liked the interractions between Weiss and Jack. You really need to bring Jack back to the spot light. The guy is awesome and hilarious!

**NeoNazo356:** Funny, for the longest time I've actually been getting the _opposite _complaints.

**GreyWing44:** (Bone creaking noises) I...Am alive. I also apologize for not responding to the previous chapters. Life sucks, MOVING ON!  
Ahh Yang you inspire us all with your wit and candor...Also Bumblebee shipper but I admit the thought of her Jack together isn't that bad but...meh. Also that pun actually was pretty good. Kudos!  
Also it does make sense to me about Weiss's constructs. From the chapter title I was assuming you were going to do the Rwby chibi joke about taking Weiss to the pool. Jack would break free and Blake would use Yang's semblance to break her free. Loved the Rick and Morty reference last chapter! Peace!

**NeoNazo356:** I feel like if I did the RWBY Chibi joke where Weiss turned the pool into an ice-skating rink, it would've been too on-the-nose.  
Also, outside of the Chibiverse, Weiss isn't so inconsiderate that she'd "inconvenience" everyone around her by turning the pool into a block of ice.

**Oblivious IJ: **Well... Weiss enjoyed herself

**NeoNazo356:** Well, that was the _sentiment _I was going for with all the double entendre. I think Donut would've been proud.  
Also, was your Profile Pic _always _a Honey Badger, or did _I _have something to do with it~?

_***NEW WORLD***_

It was a brand new day, the birds singing as the sun rose in the distance. The room of Team RWBBY filling with light through the colored curtains, Ruby's eyes slowly fluttered open, the girl stretching her arms above herself and yawning cutely. _Nothing _could ruin such a picturesque moment.

Abso_lutely _nothi-

_***FWEEEEEEET!***_

"AAUUUGH!" Ruby squealed, falling out of bed and onto the floor as a whistle suddenly blew into her ear.

"Good morning Teeeeeeeam Rubyyyyyyy~!" Weiss exclaimed chipperly.

"What the…? _Weiss_?!" Ruby gawked, looking up to see her teammate standing over her, already dressed with a familiar silver whistle in hand.

No, wait, it was a _different _whistle, made of _actual _silver, with fancy engravings all over it.

When, how, and _why _did Weiss have something like that?

"Up and at'em, sleepy bum! We have a wonderful day of _school _waiting for us!" Weis ssaid, her enthusiasm unchanged.

_'This is karma, isn't it?' _Ruby asked wondering if _this _was how Weiss felt on the receiving-end of an early-morning whistle-wake-up call.

"_Someone's _bright-eyed and bushy-tailed today," Blake hummed tiredly, sleepily rubbing her eyes alongside Yang who was similarly roused by the whistle.

"Yep! And it feels fan-_tastic_!" Weiss whooped with an agreeative smile and a swing of her arm. "Up and at'em, up and at'em!" she repeated. "The weekend is only a _few _hours away, and once we're done with classes, we can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute _boys_!" she said giddily.

"Oh god… Is _this _what it was like when she met me?" Ruby groaned, an embarrassed flush coming across her face.

"No. Weiss seems _far _more coordinated," Blake hummed, causing Ruby to wilt further.

"What the hell _happened _to her?" Ruby gawked in light of the major paradigm shift taking place before her.

"The _real _question you should be asking is, what got _into _her~?" Yang purred, looking over her shoulder to Jack as she waggled her brow.

"Yang, that isn't even _remotely _what happened and you _know _it," Jack grumbled.

He was _tempted _to say "Weiss had a very productive day" yesterday since being able to Summon successfully was a huge milestone in her personal growth, but then Yang might make a "_re_productive" joke, and he just didn't have the energy to deal with that so-early in the morning.

_'Having a permanent address and a soft bed must be making _me_ soft,'_ Jack thought to himself.

"Come _on _now, sleeping beauty! Now isn't the time to be _nap__ping_!" Weiss said jumping onto Jack's stomach, emptying the air from his lungs as she bounced atop him.

And not in the sexy _fun _way.

"Okay, so, if you _didn't _give her a taste of the D, what _did _you give her yesterday?" Yang asked with a raised brow as she eyed her sister's partner.

Weiss' "peppy and energetic schoolgirl" face was _super_ creepy.

On Ruby it was _cute_, but on someone as standoffish as _Weiss _it was super creepy.

"Herbal remedies and the fat of the land," Jack answered plainly.

"So, when you say 'fat of the land', do you _really _mean-"

"No, I'm not talking about 'the fat of' _my _'land'," Jack grumbled tiredly.

"So then why wasn't she like this _yesterday_?" Blake asked.

"It was an _overnight _cure," Jack groaned as Weiss continued to bounce atop him excitedly, trying to drag him out of bed. "Okay, okay, I'm up, I'm up," he groaned, realizing this was a losing battle. _'Huh._ That's _an odd sensation,' _he thought.

"What the heck _did _you feed her? Weiss is _never _like this," Blake hummed as Weiss zipped about, busy as a bee and _thrice _as energetic as she prepared everyone's school supplies.

" . . . Meh," Yang hummed. _'Too easy,' _she eventually conceded.

"I'll just assume she's never had _all-natural _remedies before, and attribute it to some kind of _high _she couldn't get from all that _artificial _crap," Jack sighed rolling out of bed, watching as Weiss proceeded to strip her partner, scrub her raw in the shower, and get her dressed in a flurry of manic energy in the span of mere minutes. "Good goddess, I've created a _monster_."

"You _think_?" Blake asked as _Yang _of all people was stripped from her PJs, scrubbed raw, and dressed. "Ah! Jack! SAAAVE MEEEEE!" the girl shrieked, hands raking lines across the floor as she was dragged by her ankles toward the bathroom, against her will her ears twitching frantically beneath her bow.

Weiss' current demeanor was so eye-catching that even _then_, Blake's secret was still safe.

"Uuugh. _Fiiine_," Jack groaned. "Hey, Weiss!"

"What is it, Jack?" the heiress asked sweetly.

"It looks like you _missed _a spot," he said pointing lazily to the side.

"YOU TRAITOOOOR!" Ruby shrieked as she was dragged away in Blake's place.

_"Jack, take me with you…" _Blake shuddered, a pleading look in her eye.

"Hey, _here's _a crazy idea. Use the _girls' _communal restroom," Jack deadpanned, toiletries tucked under his arm.

" . . . Okay, that works too," Blake conceded, the two of them tip-toeing away as Weiss worked Ruby over.

And not in the sexy _fun _way.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Uh… Guys… What _happened _to you?" Nora asked Ruby and Yang as the two teams sat together at breakfast.

"Weiss… was _very _enthusiastic about getting ready for school this morning," Yang said tiredly.

"Is _that _why your hair's glistening like spun sugar?" Ren asked looking between the two sisters.

True to form their hair _did _glisten like "spun sugar", looking the best it'd ever looked since Ren had known the two of them.

"_Something _like that… Weiss used some kinda high-end product in my hair this morning when she worked me over."

"In the sexy-"

"No. _Not _the sexy fun way," Yang cut Nora off, the girl whining like she'd just lost out on something interesting.

"Well, it's certainly nice to see Weiss so _energetic _after yesterday," Pyrrha hummed, a small smile on her face as she watched Weiss eating her breakfast with a pep in her step and a merry tune on her lips. "I guess the Jack Braxton Guarantee is the real _deal_~" she chuckled turning Jack's way.

"For better or worse," Jack mumbled.

While he was pretty sure the sight of his scar-covered "roadmap" of a body would be enough to sober Weiss up, he didn't want to subject her to something like that just yet.

He'd already opened _one _(or more) can(s) of worms with Yang and Blake respectively. He'd let the proverbial can-opener _rest _for a bit before dragging anyone _else _down the badger hole.

"So uh… _Weiss_," Jaune said interposing himself into the conversation. "You wanna go by the mall after _school _today?" he asked hopefully.

"Sure, I'd love to."

"Oh. Okay. I understand-Wait, _really_?!" Jaune gawped, realizing he _hadn't _been shot down, Pyrrha spit-taking off to the side.

"Of course!" Weiss replied beautifically, Jaune's expression turning absolutely giddy with a squeal to match. "I was going to take all of Team Ruby _shopping _after school today for some new clothes. Thank you _so much _for volunteering to carry the bags!" she said happily, hands clasped together, her head tilted at an adorable angle whereas Jaune's fell.

_'_ _. . . Just take the win,' _the blond told himself.

"_Just take the win," _Nora muttered, mirroring his thoughts.

"Yeah… That sounds… _great_," Jaune replied, deciding to-in-fact, "take the win".

"Hey, what about _us_?!" Nora suddenly asked.

"I'm sorry, Nora, but this offer only extends to my own team," Weiss apologized.

"If you want, _I _could treat us," Pyrrha offered. "I may not be as wealthy as _Weiss_, but my own fiscal saving are still quite significant."

She was still receiving royalties for Pumpkin Pete's on top of all the _other _stuff she'd sponsored like sports insoles, hair products, and so-on.

After winning the Mistral Regional Tournament enough times, the offers, and money, just _poured _in.

"That sounds nice," Ren hummed. "We can make a day of it."

"I couldn't agree more!" Weiss said happily.

"Let's hope she doesn't come down before paying," Yang chuckled, Weiss' offer stoking the fires of her own greed.

"I'm pretty sure this can _only _end in disaster," Jack hummed as he ate.

"Hey, _c'mon _now, what could possibly go wrong?" Yang asked.

"Famous last words," Blake hummed, though a little envious of Yang's glittering hair.

_***NEW WORLD***_

The day of school to come was like all the others; lecture, in-class work, homework assignment, rinse and repeat.

However, there was a rather _odd _pattern being established.

Right before the bell, their teachers would assign an exorbitant amount of homework (Brick went as far as to give them step-trackers), _far _more than usual, and the sum of which was enough to snuff out almost the entirety of the coming weekend if not_ more_.

When asked _why _they were being given so much homework, the teachers' common response was-

"You'll have time during the break."

This raised the question of _what _break, since there weren't any upcoming holidays in the Valian calendar that would apply to Beacon.

The summons that all the Freshman HITs received after final bell would serve to answer those questions.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Freshmen, welcome," Ozpin greeted, via hologram, in the same amphitheater he'd greeted all the Hunter aspirants over a month ago. "As I'm sure you've all noticed, a rather… _disproportionate _amount of homework has been given today in comparison to the Fridays of your previous term."

Several students nodded their heads in kind.

"The reason for that… will be revealed right now," he stated, everyone's attention immediately piqued after a pause for effect. "For the next two months, following each week of classes, each of you will receive a week-long break to do with as you wish."

At this, an excited clamor spread through the room, plans of many a lazy day swirling about their thoughts.

"You could use this time to complete your given assignments, deepen your bonds with your allies, _or…_" he trailed off. Raising a hand, with a snap of his fingers, bulletin board-sized holograms began to rise from the emitters set into the base of the spectator stands encircling the amphitheater. "You could accept Quests from the Mission Boards to earn funds, extra credit, and most-importantly, _renown_," he said as countless mission types began to appear around them. "Not only would this enable you to get a head-start on your respective careers by getting your name out there, but it'll give you some much-needed real-world experience. Experience which may give you the edge you need to excel in the coming Vytal Festival Tournament."

At the very mention of this globally-acclaimed festival, the tension in the room began to thicken. How one performed there could make, or more-worrisomely, _break _an aspirant Hunter's career. Making a name for yourself in the Vytal Festival was often all that separated a graduate Hunter from being able to retire to a nice home in the countryside with a picket fence, or working until you died struggling to make ends meet as you fought your fellow Huntsman for scraps.

Suffice it to say, any edge was welcomed with open arms. Some would train their entire _lives _just to do well in the Festival, because doing well _there _could easily guarantee a life of success, and even excess.

And of course, they'd had nearly eight whole decades to tweak the rules and procedures so they could rout out cheaters before they even stepped out onto the arena floor, so suffice it to say, cheaters really _didn't _prosper.

In fact, it'd been more than ten _years _since the last time someone had tried, because the last person to get caught had been utterly _ruined _by the scandal.

"However," Ozpin hummed, that one word drawing everyone's attention back to him, "as such access to the Mission Boards is premature in nature for first-year students like yourselves, more an impromptu decision based around the stellar recommendations from a recent associate of mine than anything else…"

At this, a certain Faunus shifted where he stood.

"For this reason, none of you will be receiving any support from a professional Hunter as you would in the period before the Vytal Festival. For all intents and purposes, you will have only yourselves to rely on," he continued. "That being said, the missions you are _able _to accept have been limited in selection to reflect your aptitudes, both as individuals and as a team, and also to prevent you all from missing any schoolwork," he clarified. "True, the work is not _glamorous_, but it's work that needs to be done, and if you don't take Beacon's teachings to heart, any one of these missions could very well be your last."

"Wait a minute, why _aren't _we receiving aid?" Dominic asked, finding his voice.

"As I said before, during the one-week break after each set of weekday classes, you're free to do with them as you wish. If you aren't _confident _in your ability to perform, you could spend your time in other, less _productive _fashions," Ozpin answered in turn.

Some would think it was a trick of the light, but it almost seemed as though Ozpin were turning up his _nose _at the leader of Team DIRT.

"While all of you _do _have access to the Mission Boards, don't forget your obligations to your teachers, and to one another. No penalty will be given to those who opt out of mission participation, it is merely an optional choice for those of you that wish to take to the field and put what you've learned into practice," Ozpin went on to say. "Some of these missions might be carried out within the walls of Vale, while others will have you taken out of the Kingdom for several days. But no matter what path you choose, be it the sword, or the scroll, remember to be safe, remember your training, and remember to do your very best."

The next moment Ozpin's hologram disappeared, leaving the gathered teams to list nervously together, staring warily at the mission boards as they wondered just what path they should take in the sudden free time they now had.

"Oh, and one last word of advice," Ozpin spoke up as he re-appeared, those who'd let their guard down jumping out of their skins. "Try not to die. Good luck~" he hummed charmingly before disappearing altogether.

" . . . Well _that _was fucking cryptic," Nora said aloud after several moments.

"Yeah, no _shit _Nora," Jaune shuddered.

Even the promise of a kind-of-a-date couldn't lift his spirits after that major downer.

Ozpin's final words were too-similar to Glynda's own about him getting "gobbled up" by a Beowolf if he didn't shape up.

"So… Seeing as we have the next week off… What kind of mission do you wanna take?" Yang asked. "You wanna stay in Vale and do something easy, or go off the beaten path and have a _real _adventure?"

"Nothing _too _crazy, if you don't mind," Blake hummed aloud voicing her opinion.

"With what Ozpin said, I doubt we'll be able to _choose _anything 'too crazy'," Ren hummed aloud.

"Ruby. Pop quiz," Jack stated as he eyed the Mission Boards. "How are Grimm classified in the official capacity?" he asked, knowing the very first thing the kill-happy bundle of cookies and ammo would want to do is kill Grimm with her over-sized weapon.

"Oh! I remember this!" she said excitedly. "Grimm are divided into six separate classes; E-Class, D-Class, C-Class, B-Class, A-Class, and S-Class," she said raising up six fingers. "E-Class Grimm are those that anyone with a broom or a pitchfork can dispatch without any prior combat training, like a Vermin or a Nevermore, whose strength is entirely proportional to their size."

At this, the image of a "Villager" wielding a broom or pitchfork to shoo away a Grimm-like rat or crow came to mind.

"D-Class Grimm are above the ability of a single civilian to handle, but still beneath the notice of a trained Huntsman. If anything, all a D-Class Grimm requires in terms of manpower to stop is a _group _of civilians with decent aim and conventional firearms."

At this, the image of _several _"Villagers" wielding guns and taking out a Boarbatusk destroying fields came to mind.

"C-Class Grimm are beyond the level of civilian intervention altogether, and almost _always _require a trained Hunter on-site to prevent massive loss of life."

At this, the image of the same "Villagers" that killed the Boarbatusk before came to mind, the collective running away from a Beowolf only to get cut down by a suspiciously-familiar red-cloaked individual wielding an enormous gun-scythe, the "Villagers" cheering.

"Above them are B-Class Grimm. While a single trained Hunter _can _dispatch a B-Class on their own, it's almost always advised that unless you have the terrain advantage, you operate in a pair or even a group."

At this, the image of the suspiciously-familiar red-cloaked individual struggling against an Alpha Beowolf before she and all her _friends _appeared and soundly defeated it came to mind.

"At the top of the conventional hierarchy are A-Class Grimm. _These _specimens require either a small army of Hunters to dispatch, or a single closely-knit group of _expert _hunters who can play to their strengths and cove one another's weaknesses. That, or a _lot _of luck and/or a lot of outside variables working in their favor."

At this, the image of the Giant Nevermore and Giant Deathstalker they'd encountered during the previous term came to mind.

"And above all _that _are the S-Class Grimm. The stuff of legend and nightmare, a single S-Class Grimm is more-akinned to 'a living natural disaster', capable of destroying entire villages and even countries if left unchecked, such specimens remaining dormant for decades if not centuries, only becoming active when a substantial surge of negative emotion rouses them from their slumber. A Grimm of this nature would usually require the sum might of a country's military strength to dispatch, no holds barred, all-or-nothing. That, or a _really _big 'silver bullet'," she tacked on.

At _this_, a rather _ambiguous _mass of writhing darkness and fire-colored eyes descending upon a Kingdom like a tidal wave came to mind.

"Very good," Jack said rubbing her head, the girl preening.

"Yes, that _was _very good," Weiss hummed aloud, most of the manic energy of the morning gone and mellowed. "Tell me, how _do _you know all that? We never went over it in any of our _classes_."

Or maybe they _did _and Port's droning just drowned it out. Who knows.

"Are you kidding? Going out on missions is something I've _always _wanted to do, ever since I was a little girl!" Ruby said excitedly. "Going out on a simple C-Ranked mission, only to have it jump up in rank by unforeseen circumstances, overcoming the odds and then sharing good drink with good comrades. They're the sort of adventures I've always dreamed of."

"_Good drink_?" Yang asked with a raised brow. "I don't have to worry about you turning into a 'social drinker' like _Qrow_, do I?"

"What?! Of course not! Why would I drink that smelly apple juice ever again?"

"Apple juice?" Blake asked with a raised brow.

"One time Ruby mistook a beer for apple juice, and she did _not _like it," Yang chuckled, thinking back to a six-year-old Ruby spitting uncontrollably after that mishap.

"Hey, it was an honest mistake!" Ruby pouted, puffing out her cheeks cutely.

"Sooo…" Jaune hummed, Team JNPR following after him as the circle of friends gathered together. "What do you girls _make _of all this?"

"I'm like a girl who just got a new _toy_!" Nora said with a manic grin on her face.

"That's nice," Ren hummed plainly, imagining her finding the biggest, nastiest, meanest land-based Grimm she possibly could, beating the crap out of it, and saddling that puppy up.

The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

"Honestly… I'm a little _shocked_," Blake hummed aloud. "I'd heard that HITs participated in missions during their schooling, but that was usually only in their _second _years barring a few exceptions. To be given access to the Mission Boards _now_…" she trailed off. "Just who was able to _convince _Ozpin that we'd be ready for this?"

"_I _think we're ready," Yang said aloud.

"Some are more ready than others," Jack said, his eyes listing toward his old team as the three initial members bickered over what kind of mission to get; something glamorous, something safe, or something profitable.

Terrence, the newest freshman HIT, wisely stood off to the side and went with the flow.

As stagnant a-flow as it was, at least.

"Yo, Cardin!" Jack called out. "What kinda mission are _you _guys getting?"

"Eh, probably some border patrol, get our feet wet, you know?" the large teen hummed.

"As good a start as any," Jack nodded. "Try not to die out there, aside from Ren, I have no other guys at Beacon I can talk to."

"What about _me?_"

"_No _other guys I can talk to," Jack repeated, completely ignoring Jaune.

"Awww…"

"What about _your _team? What kinda trouble will _they _get into?" Cardin asked.

"We're right _here _you know," Ruby huffed.

"To be honest, I'll probably just wander off and take a _very _enthusiastic 'walk'," Jack answered with a shrug.

"Wait, you aren't going on missions with us?" Blake asked, a hint of disappointment in her tone.

"Not _all _the time, but if I'm always there to fight the biggest bad guy, you won't get any stronger. Me going with you would be like playing a dungeon crawler on Easy Mode."

"And what if we meet something too strong to handle?"

"Running away is always an option," Jack answered simply. "Even if your pride is hurt, if you live to fight another day, a bruise on your ego won't matter."

"I guess that's true…"

"Don't worry, Jack. No-one's going to die on _my _watch!" Yang boasted.

"I should hope not," Jack nodded. "Of course, you _will _tell me where you're going in advance in case you need backup, _right_?"

"Y-Yes, of course we'll keep you in the loop!" Yang returned nervously.

"Good! Then I don't have anything to worry about," Jack returned with a nod. "Oh, and Cardin."

"Hm?"

"If you ever find yourself in a bind, give me a call and I'll haul ass."

"Heh. Thanks, man," Cardin returned with a smile, the two bumping fists before parting ways.

"I still don't like this."

"What?"

"You. Being _friends _with _Cardin_," Ruby pouted.

"Has he bullied Jaune or anyone else since becoming friends with _me_?"

"Well, _no_, but-"

"Then there's no reason for you to be _petty, _now _is _there?" Jack asked poignantly.

"I guess…" Ruby pouted, shoulders slumping at the dressing-down.

"Look, I'm not asking _you _to be friends with him if that's what you're thinking. All I'm asking is that you be _professional _about this."

"What about _them_?" Yang asked, pointing to Team DIRT off to the side.

"Oh, you can hate _them _all you want; go to _town_. Go to _every _town if you feel like it."

"Aye aye, captain!"

"Hey, _I'm _the team captain here!" Ruby protested.

"Still, that _does _leave the question of what _kind _of missions we'll be able to participate in," Weiss hummed. "As freshman HITs, regardless of how skilled we all may be as a unit, we'll be lucky to get access to anything _close _to a C-Rank Mission," she sighed.

"Hey, it might not be glamorous, but D and C-Rank missions are still work that needs to be done," Blake cut in. "You can indulge your pride _after _you graduate. Tackle an A-Rank mission _then_."

"I'm not _saying _we should tackle those kinds of missions right now," Weiss huffed. "I'm just saying, not just _any _old mission will 'do'. We may be students, but we still have our _dignity _to think of."

"Yeah, because _dignity _never got anyone killed," Jack hummed cryptically.

"Hey, Jack. _You're _the big money-maker around here. What do _you _think we should hit up?" Yang asked turning to the most-experienced, and objectively the most-_jaded_, member of their team.

"Well, when it comes to mercenary work like this, and make no mistake, this _is _mercenary work," he said towards those with _romanticized _ideas about what being a Hunter meant, "the missions are divided into easily-recognizable categories that'll give you a pretty good idea of what to expect," he said walking over to one of the holographic boards. "Search and Rescue, Escort, Perimeter Defense, Search and Destroy, Village Security, Investigation, Re-Supply," he listed off as he eyed some of the work available to them as freshman students. "You _could _take on missions like hunting down a wanted fugitive, but that tends to fall within the category of what a Sweeper or Bounty Hunter does. If you want to 'help people', I'd just stick with what Ozpin deigns you're capable of handling."

"And what about _you_, mister?" Yang asked, hands on her hips. "What are _you _going to be up to when you aren't hanging out with the rest of us?"

"Probably hunting down a wanted fugitive or two," Jack shrugged. As the middle-ground between the other three Kingdoms, Vale had more than a few of those to go around; and even _if _some of them managed to hop the border by land, sea, or air, there were always more coming into Vale trying to get away from _somewhere_. "Play your cards right and I might let you ride along."

"Oh, I can think of _something _I want to ride~" Yang purred, getting into his personal space and running a finger down his chest.

"Yang, behave or I won't buy you anything at the mall."

"Wait, we're still _going_?!"

"Yes, Yang. We're still going," Weiss sighed. "I might not be as 'bright-eyed and bushy-tailed' as I was this morning, but I still remember the sentiment. We haven't really done anything recreational as a _team _outside of Beacon, so this is as good a chance as any," the heiress admitted.

For obvious reasons she didn't count them tailing Jack and Coco on their quote/unquote "not-a-date" because things went totally FUBAR at the end when Molotov Cocktails started flying around.

"Oh, Weiss, I always _knew _you weren't a total stick-in-the-mud!" Yang said happily, throwing her arms around the heiress and smothering her within her ample bosom.

"That's _hot_," Nora panted.

"Yes. Yes it is," Ren said neutrally.

"Well what're we waiting for?" Ruby asked. "TO THE BUSSES!"

"THE BUSSES!" Yang and Blake crooned excitedly, Weiss and Jack rolling their eyes, Pyrrha chuckling nervously, Jaune slouching as he looked away, and Ren trying to reign Nora in.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**AN:  
Team RWBY only ever did **_**one **_**mission in any **_**formal **_**capacity via the Mission Board; everything after that was self-appointed. I feel like the Mission Board could've been ripe with potential for many adventures, so I decided to do something like **_**this**_** until the advent of ****RWBY**** Volume 2 (within the context of ****Giant-Slayer****) in place of missed opportunities. Obviously, this means that "The Stray" and "Black and White" won't be happening any time soon, but given there was an unspoken Timeskip between then and "Foreverfall, Part 2", this should've been seen coming.**

**While I'm not disparaging Rooster Teeth for their choices, having a huge timeskip with nothing in it, nothing even **_**implied **_**beyond their schooling****, seemed like such a missed opportunity. But that's just **_**my **_**humble opinion.**

**If anyone can think of any unique Grimm that you'd like to see fought, maybe broach it to me on the Review column and a chapter might be based around it.**


	15. Mall Crawl

**Greywing44: **Ooh this kinda reminds me of Monster Hunter, or even Witcher to a point. Ahh memories of video games...dying horribly in video games...  
I can't wait to see what kind of missions you'll make! Will we be able to see JNPR have it's own mission or be stuck with just the main characters in this? Oh maybe we'll even see Cardin be used in a cpacity that doesn't lable him as a useless bully. Which was admittedly interesting. Except the ignorance of Racism. I always figured if Cardin ever gained a respect for Faunus it would be on the battlefield. Which kinda happened? I guess?

**NeoNazo356: **Since you asked, I'll try to elaborate on JNPR's mission, though I'll need a _smidge _more character development before I have Juniper getting its own mission. However, there's still _one_ last piece of unfinished business the Canon never really touched up on before I'm _comfortable _having the whole team go on a mission that I need to attend to.  
As for Cardin, yeah, I want to expand on his character so you might get to see some of that too. As for Cardin's racism getting "tempered", part of it is due to Jack, another is due to him growing "as a person" now that he's away from his father; something Weiss similarly experienced because if _she _had stayed by her father's side, she would've been as-racist as she was in early Volume 1 much later on.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Located in the middle quadrant of the Commercial District, equidistant from the Industrial and Residential Districts nearby, the Vale Megamall, a somewhat _recent _addition to the capital city's landscape in proportion to its history, was considered one of the largest shopping centers in the kingdom of Vale.

Its foundations set during the pre-Great War era when one of the largest trading plazas in the world had been established to take advantage of the convening trade routes from the neighboring Kingdoms, over time the area became dominated by a massive strip mall surrounding a massive five-story building that easily earned the title "Mega".

In addition to this, advancements in both construction techniques and the utilization of Earth Dust allowed for the construction of under_ground_ facilities, adding an additional five floors to the massive shopping center, which currently operated around two hundred stores including the nearby strip malls.

Thanks to the continual addings-on throughout the years, the Vale Megamall was home to a wide range of specialty stores, restaurants, a multiplex movie theater, aquarium, concert hall, and many other commercial venues. It was for good reason that people from across the Kingdom of Vale made the Megamall their stomping grounds.

Sized at around three million square feet of "Gross Leasable Area", the Vale Megamall was only rivaled in scope by the largest shopping mall located in Atlas' capital, which was geared more-heavily toward the rich and affluent who made their corporate headquarters there. In particular, the rich heirs and heiresses who spent money like drinking water.

As an added bonus, because consumers from all walks of life went to the Vale Megamall for their material needs, Human and Faunus alike, racial discrimination was at an all-time low, at least _there_, because there was always an abundance of witnesses.

Witnesses with cameras on their Scrolls that could record people making complete and utter _dicks _out of themselves.

"Smash and burn" attacks perpetrated by the White Fang (and other racial hate groups) were limited almost exclusively to the above-ground strip mall in the surrounding acres, so for all intents and purposes, the Vale Megamall was considered one of the safest, family-friendly areas in the Kingdom of Vale.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Man, it's been a _while _since I last came here," Yang hummed appreciably, the members of Teams RWBBY and JNPR stepping off the bus they'd taken to get there.

"It's actually my first time coming here. Are there _really _two-hundred stores here?" Pyrrha asked as she looked at all the stores around them; stores as far as the eye could see.

"_More _than that," Yang said snatching a map from the nearby kiosk before tossing it to her. "Take a look. The rotation of stores changes out every couple of years, but they've got just about _anything _you could shop for here. They've even got tons of stuff from the other _Kingdoms_, though the more-exotic, the bigger the price tag," she admitted. "Originally I wanted a _Japanese _bike, a Kawasaki Kunoichi, but the amount of zeroes on it scared the _hell _out of me, and almost gave my dad a stroke."

"Must be _nice_. Having so much money to spend," Jaune slumped, seeing as how the "stipend" his parents were sending him was _really _going right into Jack's own pocket after he started _charging_.

"Hey, _here's _a crazy idea. You could always get a _job_."

"Says the guy who conned a hundred grand out of the whole _school_," the blond groaned.

"Hey, it isn't _my _fault they didn't play the odds. You _always _'bet on black'," Jack shrugged looking the map over. "Etro's sake, two _hundred _of these things? How many stores does one shopping center _need_?"

"Obviously _someone _hasn't been to Atlas' Peak," Weiss hummed as she walked by, thinking back to her time in Atlas when she'd been able to pursue the finer things in life wherever she'd wanted. "Still, the energy here _is _pretty refreshing," she hummed looking around.

True, Atlas' Peak _was _a few-dozen stores (if not a hundred) _bigger _than the Vale Megamall, but with only the monetarily-privileged or otherwise well-to-do there, there wasn't as much… _life _as there was here; countless people of all races of _all _species mingling together. Sure, there were a few narrowed eyes here and there along with a few upturned noses, but otherwise everyone seemed to be having a good time, some window shopping, some already knowing what they'd wanted, and some simply wandering about with too much time on their hands or just hanging out with friends.

"Yeah, I am _definitely _going to need a map for this place," Jack sighed as he grabbed one, blotting out stores he had no reason to visit. "If 'sensory overload' had a picture in the dictionary, it'd be this."

"Hey, don't worry about it. _I'll _hold your hand so you don't get lost," Yang said with a bright smile as she threw an arm over his shoulders.

"I can work with that," Jack replied with a crooked smile, snaking an arm around the blond's waist and playfully drawing her close.

"Ugh, get a _room _you two," Ruby groaned in embarrassment as people stared.

"Preferably one that isn't _ours_," Blake saw fit to add.

"Yes, Jack. Please try and keep your _urges _in check," Weiss chastized.

"Funny, as _I _recall, you weren't much better than a drooling _mess _after _I _got through with you," Jack quipped in turn, the heiress blushing beet red as the Faunus waggled his brow, everyone sending her looks.

"Just shut up and follow me. If you're going to be on the same team as me, there are certain _standards _I expect you to meet," Weiss said leading everyone into the main structure, leaving no room for argument.

"So... we're just going to _ignore _the subtext between those two?" Jaune asked as he glanced between Jack and Weiss.

"Yes," everyone said unanimously.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Yowza! This place is eeeee_NORMOUS_!" Nora whooped loudly as they stepped into the megamall.

Of course, with how much noise there was inside from the countless throngs, a voice that normally would've carried to the bottom floor didn't even make it past the _lobby _there was so much of it.

"To the food court bakerryyyyyyy!" Ruby squealed zipping forward.

"Oh no you don't," Yang said grabbing onto her cape, causing the girl to gag herself. "The last time I let you anywhere near that place, you were hopped up on so much sugar you set off every radar gun in the _city_."

"Wait, _seriously_?" Jack gawked. Sure, the girl could be pretty fast, but _that _fast?!

"No, but it makes for a funny _story_, doesn't it?" Yang asked with a cheeky grin. "Nah, the worst Ruby did was ruin her appetite."

"Like _that's _very hard," Weiss sighed with a roll of her eyes. "So, girls, what would you like me to buy for you?" the heiress offered. "Mind you, try to keep your purchase requests _reasonable_. My father _does _have access to my fiscal transactions, you know, and anything _too _eccentric would be really hard to explain at the end of the month."

"So… no motorcycles?"

"Nope," Weiss replied plainly.

"Yeah, that figures," the blond sighed.

"Well… Since we're going to get a head-start on our Huntress careers… maybe some new _outfits_?" Ruby suggested.

"An update to our wardrobe, huh…?" Blake hummed, thinking back to a similar conversation of this very nature they'd had, back before Jack became part of their team.

_***FLASHBACK***_

"I think Weiss' next outfit should incorporate armor. She thrusts her sword a lot, so it should be bigger too. Maybe she should just have a lance. She'll give off a much more dangerous impression. Her hair should be tied in the back. But the weight might make it hard to move," Blake read aloud from the cheat sheet Ruby had dropped after Weiss called her out on staying up all night.

"It'll hide your _breasts _too!" Ruby added matter-of-factly.

"Relax, relax," Yang soothed to Weiss, who was moments away from throttling Ruby.

"What is this?! I know you're the leader, but now you're going to tell us what to _wear_?!" Weiss demanded.

"We'll be changing outfits soon. It might not be a bad idea to discuss it," Yang spoke up. "We've always fought alone, but we'll be fighting together from now on. We should know what everyone's thinking. What else you got?"

"You think this is a _joke_, don't you?" Ruby muttered, but grabbing her cheat sheet nonetheless. "I think this one would be good for Blake. 'I think Blake would look great in something more loose fitting. A Japanese-style outfit with a trimmed hem for easier movement. And a katana'," she read aloud.

_'So all our weapons are bigger, huh?' _Yang questioned.

"No thank you," Blake stated as Ruby held up a legit katana, stars in her eyes. "I've never used one…"

For years to come, it would still be a mystery as to _where _Ruby had gotten that katana from.

"For you, Yang. 'Increased ammunition hidden all over the place. Maybe a grenade launcher on her arm'," Ruby went on to read aloud.

_'She's just trying to increase my damage output!' _Yang realized, though not really having anything against the outfit shown in the rough sketch. The leather tube top and short-shorts might've been a bit much, or rather, very _little_, but she could make 'em work. _'Actually, I'm fine with that,' _she then hummed to herself.

"You're considering it, aren't you?" Blake asked.

And thus, Team RWBY would go on to talk about it, but in the end, they didn't change anything.

_***FLASHBACK END***_

"Yes, I suppose that _would _be for the best," the hidden Faunus girl nodded. "Never really saw the point in gathering up tons of random _crap_, anyway," she hummed as her eyes turned to passerby leaving the Megamall, bags filled with "tons of random crap" weighing them down.

"Aren't you the girl that always reads to _candle light_?" Yang asked poignantly.

"The lights are softer and it won't keep my roommates awake."

" . . . Oh… Yeah, I guess that's true," Yang conceded.

"Remember, you three. If it's _clothes _you want to buy for missions, it has to be durable, _and _practical. Fashion needs to come second," Weiss stated matter-of-factly.

"Says the girl in the dress and bolero _jacket_," Yang quipped.

"_This_, is a _Combat _Skirt."

"Yeah."

The next moment she and Ruby exchanged a low-five.

"Fine. '_Combat Skirt_'_,_" Yang said making air-quotes.

"Glad you now know how to make that _distinction_," Weiss returned with a nod. "So, where do you think we should go?" she asked as the group stepped in front of a directory.

"We could try _here_," Ruby said pointing to a store on the map. "They've got _loads _of clothes that are durable, practical, _and _fashionable."

"Hmmm… Yeah, I guess that could work," Yang nodded.

"A little low-brow for my tastes, but… It's _your _call, girls," Weiss stated with a shrug, the two teams making their way to the nearest elevator.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"How the heck did you _beat _us?" Jaune gaped at who was waiting for them on their destined floor.

"What do you mean?" Jack asked lazily.

"I mean, the eight of us pile into an elevator 'cause it can't hold nine, and as soon as we get up here, _you're _the one waiting for us!"

"I took the stairs."

"Oh that's _bullshit_!" Nora whooped.

"Can we please _focus_," Weiss sighed, not really bothered by the fact that Jack was faster than an elevator.

Even _if _the nearest flight of stairs were several meters away.

"Guys, it doesn't really matter that Jack was able to beat us to the floor we needed to go to. Can you please stop causing a scene?" Ren asked politely, pointing out the numerous stares they were all receiving.

"Allow _me _to rephrase it," Weiss stated with her hands on her hips. "You can either stop arguing about something so _juvenile_, or I can rescind my previous offer."

"Jaune, get over it."

"Yeah, this is totally normal."

"Wow… just… gonna throw me under the _bus_, there, huh?" Jaune asked as Ruby and Yang turned on him.

"Yep," Blake nodded stoically in agreement.

What? Free clothes were free clothes?

"Jaune, if you keep getting bothered by little things like this, you won't get _any _work done out in the real world," Jack stated plainly.

"Bite me."

"Nah. You're so fragile and girly I'd insta-kill you."

"N-No you wouldn't!"

"Yeah! It'd take two, maybe _three _bites to insta-kill him!"

"Nora, you are _not _helping!"

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So… This is the place, huh?" Weiss asked looking up at the sign of the store the bulk of her Team wanted to shop at.

"50% SALE ON ALL HERO CLOTHING… The hell does _that _mean?" Jack asked reading the sign on **ALWAYS 17**'s window aloud.

"Perhaps they are referring to combat-grade clothing?" Pyrrha groused, equally-confused by the phrasing of the sign.

"Yeah, okay, but why _half_?" Jack asked incredulously.

"Perhaps they have excess stock in a market that isn't so-eager to capitalize on it," Ren hummed as the two teams walked in. **ALWAYS 17 **wasn't anything _too _eccentric; a mix of carpet and tile flooring, shelves, displays, and hangers of product, and an all-around selection of articles of young, "trendy" styles usually worn by people in their pre- to early 20s.

"So, anything catch your-" _***Vwoooom!* **_" . . . eye?" Weiss asked only to get left in the dust as her teammates scattered. "Hrmmmm…"

"You sound a little disappointed. Wanna talk about it?" Jack asked over his shoulder as he browsed the hoodies on display.

"Well, it's just… I thought Team Ruby would be doing this more…" she said rolling her hand at the wrist as she tried to find the right word. "…_together_," she admitted.

"Back in Atlas, did you ever do this sort of thing?"

"Well… No, not really," she admitted.

"Did you even _have_ any friends back in Atlas, or were you just an anti-social loser with no friends?"

"You don't have to be so _blunt _about it."

Were this an anime, this would've been the point where an arrow capped with a word bubble reading **Loser** stabbed her in the head.

"Look, the point I'm trying to make is… Maybe try and find some common ground. Try to _include _yourself, and stop building up these invisible walls you rich-kid-types always want to put up around those in lower social strata," Jack stated, though by the lackluster sound of it, it seemed more like he was pulling this out of his ass.

"It sounds like you just pulled that out of your ass."

_'Crap. She knows,' _Jack sighed. "Look, when those girls get to the dressing rooms to try on their clothes, maybe you could insert yourself-"

"Ha!"

"-into the _conversation_… at that point," he went on to say after Nora's rib. "They're going to want an outside opinion on their choices, so a little feedback will help break the ice with them."

"Hmmm… That's actually a pretty good idea," Weiss nodded. "Thank you. You're wiser than your reputation lets on."

"You get a _pass_," Jack sighed, leaving the girls to their own devices.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So… Did you girls find everything you were looking for?" Weiss asked of the three girls as they gathered around the dressing rooms.

"Don't look! I want it to be a surprise!" Ruby yelped, hiding her choices behind herself out of Weiss' view.

"Don't worry, Weiss. We're not gonna break the bank on this one," Yang said holding an entire outfit in her arms.

"It's the least we can do," Blake saw fit to add.

"Well, you're quite welcome," Weiss said taking a seat on a nearby bench, crossing one ankle over the other as Ruby stepped into the changing room first. The rustling of clothing accompanied by a complaint about "girl pockets", the red curtan whooshed open as Ruby stepped out in her new outfit.

Ruby was now clad in a long-sleeve light gray shirt with black belted cuffs at the ends of her sleeves, over which she wore a black pinafore with two vertical lines of red stitching that resembled the lacing on a corset. Additionally, she was clad in a red skirt with a matching black tulle underneath, her stockings and shoes remaining unchanged.

"Well… How do I look?" Ruby asked nervously.

"Awwww… My little Grimm-Slayer. So _cute_!" Yang cooed as she hugged her little sister.

"Agh! Yang! You're! Smothering me!" Ruby cried from betwixt her sister's bosom.

"Hmmmm… It _is _quite nice, but I feel like it's missing a certain… _something_," Weiss hummed.

"Yeah, I felt that way too," Ruby said giving herself a once-over. "Maybe the Tailors' Guild at Beacon could embroider my emblem onto it, maybe add a little armor plating."

"My turn!" Yang said enthusiastically as she stepped into the changing room.

A minute later and the curtain parted again, Yang's outfit now consisting of a deep-collared cream vest worn over a low cut black shirt, both of which were covered by a dark gray shrug with a raised collar, three-quarter sleeves adorned with a single black stripe, and gold cuffs, accompanied by a black miniskirt worn beneath a pair of crooked black belts with gold accents slung over the hip, a purple waist cape attached to the left-rear section of the lower belt. Thigh-high stockings attached to her miniskirt by garter-belts on the front and back of each thigh, decorated with four golden studs above the knee, and the black ankle boots with multiple buckles, the blond turned quite a few heads.

"Sooo… How do I look~?" Yang asked bending forward at the waist.

"I… can't tell if you're showing _more_, or _less _skin," Weiss stated as-calmly as she could.

"That's the beauty of it," Yang said with a wink. "You leave the boys wanting more," she said sending an eye Jack's way as he browsed through the cargo pants and muscle shirts, the blond _clearly _on the hunt.

"Yang, I might not be the most-social butterfly around, but even _I _know that when it's girl-time, you typically leave the boys _out _of it," Blake stated.

"Whoa! How'd _you _get changed so fast!"

"I just used the other dressing room," Blake said folding the creases on her own outfit.

The hidden Faunus girl's attire now consisted of a white v-neck zip-up crop shirt with a black hem and three-quarter sleeves, black tight-fitting pants with a vertical gray stripe on the outer side of each leg, and a black belt. Attached to the rear of said belt was a black piece of fabric covering her from hip to hip, underneath which was a longer, translucent purple piece of fabric. Her footwear was now a pair of black high-heel boots with two straps and buckles and purple undersoles that reached mid-calf, the girl retaining her black ribbons and bow.

"Way to intrude on a conversation, Blake," Yang pouted.

"Is that really all you want to get?" Weiss asked. "Maybe a nice overcoat?"

"Maybe next time," the ravenette answered. "For the time being, this is more than sufficient," she said rolling her arms.

"Well, if that's all you want, then I suppose that's fine," the heiress shrugged. "Though if you want any_ duplicates_, that's on you."

"Well, you can't win 'em _all_," Yang shrugged. "Still, it _was _really sweet of you to buy us these new threads. Thanks, Weiss."

"You're welcome," the heiress nodded, a friendly warmth spreading across her chest.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So… What happened to _my _choice?" Jack asked once the rest of his team completed their purchases, the heiress leading him along bereft of any outside input i.e. his.

Suffice it to say, Jack had to purchase his _own _clothing from **ALWAYS 17**.

"Jack, I've _seen _your wardrobe. Not a formal suit or tie in _sight_," the heiress sighed tiredly. "_I_, intend to fix that," she said glancing down at the bag full of hoodies and cargo pants he'd bough.

"And how do you intend to do _that _exactly?" Jack asked before they came to a stop at the fourth basement floor, a high-class store in earthy shades of green and brown with suites lined in the display case greeting them. "Kingsman?" he asked, reading the sign, penned in fanciful golden letters.

"The reviews for this store's wares are _excellent_," Weiss said plainly as she strode inside with a casual swagger. "Oh tailor~" the heiress called out in a sing-song tone and a clap of her hands, a well-dressed balding man with salt-and-pepper hair and a measuring tape dangling from his shoulders stepping over towards her.

"Ah, Ms. Schnee," the man hummed between squinted eyes. "You're early."

"My teammates are nothing if not _transparent_," the heiress chuckled lightly. "I believe all the arrangement have been made?"

"But of course," the man replied with a bow before turning his attention to Jack. "Ah, so this must be the new bodyguard you mentioned over the phone," he hummed, eyeing the Faunus up and down.

"Yep!" Wiess chirped as she elbowed Jack in the side, cutting off the outcry of- "Bodyguard?!" -he was about to let loose. "Solid as reinforced military-grade plating. Now all he needs is a little polish and he'll be _perfect_," she said giving the Faunus an eye.

"But of course, miss," the tailor replied. "Now, tell me, will this be for a formal event, or a social affair?" he asked as he took Jack's measurements shoulder-to-shoulder.

"Social," the heiress replied.

"And is this for day, or evening?"

"One for day, one for night."

"What style?"

"Italian."

"How many buttons?"

"Two."

"Trousers?"

"Tapered."

_'Well _someone _knows what she wants,' _were Team RWBBY and JNPR's sum thoughts as Weiss answered off the answers with a practiced confidence.

"And the _lining_?"

"Tactical."

" . . . Wait what?" Ruby asked confusedly.

_***NEW WORLD***_

The heiress and her "entourage" led to a sound-proofed room at the back of the tailors, they were greeted to the sight of a well-dressed mannequin being shot up before it was reeled in on rails, the sudden stop in front of them causing the flattened bullets to fall out and rattle onto the floor.

"Silicon carbide discs, ceramic matrices, accompanying laminates. Cutting-edge body armor," the man replied as he drew out a sleek and shiny layer out from within the suit. "We just sew it between the fabric and the lining, zero penetration. However…" the man winced, putting a hand to his chest and making a pained expression. "Quite painful, I'm afraid."

"Don't worry. Jack can take it," Weiss said with a proud tone as she pat the Faunus' chest, the Faunus in question still staring at the squash-headed rounds at his feet. "Oh, and could you make the first one a rush-order please?"

"But of course," the man replied with a bow, snaking out his measuring tape around Jack's ankle like a whip before dragging him into the fitting room. A moment later and various work-related sounds like sawing, drilling, jackhammering, and strangely enough a _cat _cry, could be heard from behind the curtain, the sounds of snipping scissors and whooshing cloth sounding through the air.

"Hey, watch your _hands_, sweetness!" Jack suddenly yelped.

"My apologies, sir. I'm almost done."

"Ah! Geez! There's this great invention called _lotion_! Ever heard of it?"

"So… You're getting Jack some kind of bullet-proof suit?" Blake asked after a pause.

"Not 'some kind' of bullet-proof suit. _The _bullet-proof suit, a blend of both fashion and function that only Kingsman tailors can provide," Weiss returned with a nod. "My father… has multiple Kingsman suits, and while no-one's ever gotten close-enough to him that he needed to _rely _on it, they're still a very useful tool. Much-coveted."

"With a price tag to match. _Yikes_!" Nora winced as she looked at the nearby display case.

"Yes, well, a princess simply _must _invest in the welfare of her knight," the heiress replied as though she had to explain herself.

"Your… _knight_…?" Jaune asked with a crestfallen tone.

"Ooh. _That's _gotta hurt," Nora winced.

"It really does," Jaune muttered.

"Well… Think of this as motivation to become stronger," Pyrrha said putting a hand on his shoulder. "If you work _really hard _and become _really strong_, maybe someday Weiss will make _you _her… 'knight'," she said in a strained tone.

"Yeah… Yeah, you're _right_!" Jaune suddenly said with a brightened tone.

"Yaaaaaaaay…" Pyrrha quote-unquote "cheered".

_"This must be _killing_ you inside,"_ Nora whispered.

_"I know…"_

A moment later and Jack stepped out of the curtain, appreciative whistles and awed mutterings leaving the lips of the two teams. Most-notably from the girls.

Jack stepping out onto the floor, revealed his bangs expertly parted away from his face, his long monochrome hair combed and brushed straight, his sideburns expertly groomed to better-frame his features. His attire, consisting of a jet-black Italian-style two-buttoned suit with tapered slacks, just as Weiss had ordered it, had the _faintest _hint of a dark-green sheen visible as he moved. Beneath it he wore a pure-white dress shirt with an expertly-trimmed collar, a dark green tie hanging tightly around his neck.

In short, the older Faunus cut a rather impressive figure, his silhouette markedly trimmed-down from the baggy, loose-fitting clothes he'd been wearing minutes before.

"Wow…" Blake hummed, seeing the older Faunus in a whole new light.

"Don't _you _look fancy," Ruby chirped.

"Yes, I'm quite proud of this myself," Weiss said stroking her chin with a proud nod.

"Whoa, look at _you _Mr. Fixit," Yang purred as she eyed the Faunus' figure up and down. "You can talk about 'alternative payment plans' _any _time~" she purred with a wink.

"Yes, well…" Jack coughed nervously, tugging at his cuffs. "It _is _a very nice suit," he said as he smoothed it down.

"Perfect. Simply _perfect_," Weiss breathed. "Excellent work, sir. I'll be looking forward to his _night _suit, upon delivery," the heiress said extending a purple card to the man.

"You're paying for this _yourself_?" Jack asked with a raised brow, seeing that the card she'd handed over was _purple_, instead of blue, and instead of the SDC emblem on the back, there was instead a golden tiara.

In short, it was a Regal Bank bank card, not the SDC credit card she'd used on everything else that day.

"Consider this gift a little more _personal _in nature," the heiress said with a soft smile. _'That and my father might no like me buying someone _else _a Kingsman suit with _his _money,' _she added.

No need to bring down the mood by bringing up daddy issues.

"I can work with that," Jack nodded. "If I could buy a couple high-end garment bags and hangers, that'd be really appreciated," the Faunus said digging into his pockets, only to remember his wallet was quite _literally _"in his other pants". "Ah, thank you," Jack said as his previous clothes and a higher-end garment bag were handed over to him. "After I get this suit sealed up, we can go on to our next destination. Maybe I can buy _you _something."

"That sounds nice," Weiss said as Jack disappeared back behind the curtain, a disappointed whine escaping the heiress' lips as he stepped back out clad in casual wear.

"So… Where _to_ next?" Yang asked, a little disappointed Jack was out of the suit as well. _'Talk about _arm _candy. Rowrr~'_

"There's an old promise I intend to keep," Weiss stated, once-more leading the charge. "Jack, Ruby, if you'd come with me, please."

_***NEW WORLD***_

Making their way to the bottom floor of the megamall where the most-expensive items were kept, the five stories between there and the open air a wildly-successful deterrent in preventing shoplifting attempts, Weiss led Jack and Ruby to one of the more-famous stores on the bottom floor, the rest of Teams RWBBY and JNPR trailing behind them.

"Well, this is the place. The _name _sounds a bit juvenile I'll admit, but I've only ever heard good things about this store's wares over the years from my family's many bodyguards and security personnel," Weiss hummed as they stopped in front of a store that left those seeing it for the first time wide-eyed and dumbstruck.

Flanking the double doors were large display cases featuring sleek and/or powerful-looking firearms placed in circular pedestals, slowly revolving in such a way that they not only granted a full 360-degree view of the object being advertised, but that it also drew the eye more than a stationary display.

Off to the sides of the windows facing perpendicularly into the adjacent hallway were large holo-flatsceen TVs featuring looped videos of Hunters, soldiers, and soldiers-of-fortune wielding the shop's many and varied products against the likes of Grimm, rogue mechs, bandits, and so-on. The reels essentially _glorified _combat and war, with gratuitous amounts of bullets, rockets, and bombs flying every which way with a smidge of sex appeal directed towards _both _genders. That no _single _faction was outright demonized kept things neutral between both Human and Faunus shoppers.

Emblazoned above the doors on a thick armored plate lined with rivets were the words **MORE DAKKA** in big bold print made with neon lettering. Underneath it was the slogan **"When you need more Dakka… always get more Dakka…" **embossed in similar brightly-colored lettering, but smaller and more tasteful.

Long story short, it was by far the _largest _provider of (legal) firearms and munitions in the capital city of Vale. When asked about the name, apparently it was "a reference", or just a really old joke "from a bygone era" that "kids today" wouldn't know about.

Still, the fact that the word "dakka" became associated with guns spraying bullets like water from a garden hose meant that **MORE DAKKA**'s marketing team was doing a bang-up job. Sure, the price tags were a little steep, but what you were paying for was the _guarantee _of a high-performance firearm.

It was this same promise of excellence that caused companies like **Dahl**, **Hyperion**, **Jakobs**, **Maliwan**, **Tediore**, **Torgue**, **Vladof**, and others to sell their wares through this venue when not doing so through their _own _stores, which were admittedly more-curtailed towards those that purchased their firearms _exclusively _be it through taste, need, or family tradition.

That all these different companies were willing to _share _a single venue was simply proof that **MORE DAKKA **was worth the on-site competition from their contemporaries.

"Weiss… Why are we here exactly?" Ruby asked staring up at the store's sign, feeling largely intimidated compared to the "hole in the wall" vibe that **Marcus Munitions** gave off. "I have a bit of money saved up, _sure_, but these designer stores are _way _out of my price range."

"Jack…" Weiss said turning her eyes to him. "I believe I owe you and Ruby some _weapons_, correct?" she asked, ignoring the red-head's question.

"Wasn't the guns and the holo-widescreen TV only conditional on not embarrassing you in front of your _sister, _who never showed up?"

"Yes, well… You got _half _of that right, and Jack, you _have _been a big help to my Semblance's growth, so I figure you're owed _something _for all your trouble," Weiss answered.

"So… no TV?" Ruby asked disappointedly.

"TV won't help us out in the field," Weiss stated curtly. "Do you want the guns or not?"

"Guns, please," Ruby pleaded.

"Good to hear," Weiss said with a nod of her head, leading the two into the high-end store with a confident swagger.

The inside of the store, if at all possible, beat you over the head with the fact that this was a guns & munitions store even _more _than the advertisements out front. Going deep into the earth away from the hallway were shelves upon shelves of guns and ammo, body armor, weapon mods, and other peripherals. As opposed to the other stores that hired "anyone with a pulse", everyone behind the register looked like they could field-strip a weapon in under a minute, and possibly shoot the wings off a fly from fifty yards away.

"We got a runner!" someone cried as a man in the back of the store snatched the gun he'd been shown out of the clerk's hand and made a break for the door. The two teams getting into fighting stances and spreading out to bar his path, Weiss raised a hand to them, a look saying- "Stand down." -appearing on her face.

The _reason _for this of course was made known when, not even halfway through the store, a semi-transparent wall of energy shot up between the floor tiles in front of the would-be shoplifter, stopping him dead in his tracks. Three more walls rising up behind him to surround him, the gun-toting mannequins scattered throughout the store revealed themselves to be Combat Androids, which poked the barrels of their guns through the one-way barrier, causing the would-be shoplifter to drop what he'd tried to steal and raise up his hands in surrender.

"And _that _is why shoplifters aren't an issue at MORE DAKKA," Weiss explained dutifully. "Though in Atlas, this man would've been executed on-the-spot," she added casually, her words causing the man to pale horribly as the Combat Androids around him made micro-adjustments to their aim of his vital points by drumming their fingers.

"Wow, this store takes shoplifters _seriously_, huh?" Jaune asked.

"When you're dealing with live weapons, you _have _to be," Ruby nodded. "If someone gets hurt with a stolen gun, a store's reputation can take a big hit over it," she hummed, thinking back to her usual vendor.

In the case of **Marcus Munitions**, the store manager simply reserved the right to shoot anyone in the kneecaps if they tried anything, with a remote-controlled lock penning them in if they tried to make a break for it.

"Moving on," Weiss said turning her attention away from the penned-up man covered in laser sights. "Ruby, Jack, what weapons do you wa-"

"Sniper rifle."

"Of _course _that's what you want," the heiress sighed in response to Ruby's near-instantaneous answer.

"But Rubes, won't Crescie get _jealous_?" Yang questioned with a waggled brow.

"No, of _course _not," Ruby pouted. "Crescie deserves to find love _too _you know…"

Because yes, that _was _the kind of fantasy she'd concoct.

"Are you sure this isn't just some kinda cover-up to hide the fact you wanna try dual-wielding _sniper rifles_?" the blond asked knowingly.

"Wha- Bu- Ffft-! Nu- Na- _No_!" Ruby stammered in embarrassment, growing redder and redder in the face until she could no longer meet Yang's eyes.

"What about _you_, Jack? Anything catch your eye?" Weiss asked, turning away from the drama unfolding behind her.

"Hmmmmm…" Jack hummed as his eyes prowled the shelves, aisles, and cases of weapons. "How about we go halfsies on something a little more… _exotic_."

"If it's _too _expensive, I'm making you pay 60/40," the heiress stated aloud.

"That's fair," Jack shrugged, leading the heiress away while Yang continued to rib at Ruby.

Elsewhere, Nora dragged Ren away to the grenade launcher section to see about getting some mods and upgrades for her Magnhild, whereas Jaune followed Pyrrha who had similar ideas for her Miló.

"You know, I always _did _consider adding a _gun _to my arsenal," Jaune hummed appreciably as he began to eye some of the merchandise, a tough-looking revolver like the cowboys would use in the Westerns catching his eye.

Right beside him, Pyrrha imagined the blond shooting himself in the foot, quite literally, the first time he attempted to use a rifle.

A darker part of her with a rather _grim _sense of humor imagined Jaune's gun failing to fire, him staring down the barrel, only to blow his brains all over a nearby tree a second later. His brains splattering the three from off-screen, at least.

"Maybe… you should learn to master what you have before broadening your horizons," the red-head suggested, trying to dissuade him from anything too self-destructive.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Stepping up to one of the holographic kiosks that **MORE DAKKA **had made famous, Jack and Ruby proceeded to place their weapon orders, customizing the colors and other peripherals until they were satisfied. Once Weiss and Jack took care of the payment, they were given a voucher that would allow them to pick up their respective orders when it arrive in-store in several business days to a week. They wouldn't be able to walk out of the store with their orders _immediately_, but since Team RWBBY planned on tackling low-key missions until their feet were sufficiently wet, they didn't need the sort of "overkill" they'd paid for _just _yet.

Ruby, off to the side lovingly rubbing her voucher against her face the way any weapons enthusiast would, left everyone else to browse for any mods or upgrades that caught their fancy. For Blake, it was some Gyro-Stabilizers for her Gambol Shroud. For Yang, a few Chromed Bearings for her Ember Celica. For Pyrrha, some lighter T-Cogs for her Miló. For Nora, some long-range adapters for her Magnhild.

This just left Jack and Weiss to their own devices, the latter trailing behind the prior as he made a purchase at the counter using his own bank card.

"So… What's the occasion?" Weiss asked as Jack got his purchase gift-wrapped; swaddled in white snowflake-patterned paper and a blue bow on top.

Gun store though it was, surprisingly enough, **MORE DAKKA **took its gift-wrapping _quite _seriously.

That or someone behind the counter was just _really _artistic.

"Not much. Just thought I'd do right by a good friend."

"Wait, is this for _me_?" the heiress asked as the gift-wrapped box was then-immediately handed to _her_.

"Yep. Figured I owed you _something _material for putting up with all my bullshit," the Faunus admitted. "Go ahead, open it."

Weiss, growing up as a Schnee, had received all manner of gift from all manner of people. The servants of the Schnee Manor would pool their resources together to get her something as a "thank you" for always treating them with respect and dignity. Her potential suitors would always flaunt their wealth, though some of the gifts clearly hinted at ulterior motives; such as lingerie or even certain pharmaceuticals for certain _recreational _activities. From her _father_, any gifts from him were usually meant to further the Schnee family name, instead of bringing actual _joy _to the recipient.

Apart from the heartfelt gifts given to her by the servants, the only other gifts she actually _enjoyed _receiving came from her sister, who, even without the Schnee Family coffers, always managed to buy her something that put a smile on her face.

So, upon receiving a similar sentiment from Jack, the heiress couldn't help but allow a small smile to pull at her face.

Tearing into the paper in a manner "most unbecoming" of a Schnee, Weiss opened the lid of the box within, revealing a small-yet-powerful-looking firearm in a light gunmetal gray shade. The grip was black and ergonomic, angular serrations on the side, and engraved on the side was a stylized **Elite II**. Included in the recessions of the padded foam case were a pair of double column magazines set to hold fifteen 9mm rounds apiece.

Lifting the gun out and sliding one of the mags in, Weiss marveled at how-perfectly it fit in the palm of her hand, almost like it was custom-made just for her.

"Uwaaaaaaa! No way! Jack got you a Beretta M92G Elite II?" Ruby awed, eyes sparkling as she beheld the firearm in Weiss' hand. "Hey, why didn't you get _me _anything?" she then pouted in Jack's direction.

"Ruby, you're _already _squeezing one of the largest barely-legal firearms on the open market out of Weiss today. Trust me, you don't _need _more dakka."

"Ha!" Nora guffawed from across the store.

"Yeah, I guess you're right…" Ruby pouted.

"Still, why this firearm in particular?" Weiss asked as she turned the firearm over in her hand, testing the weight within her slender fingers.

"A friend of mine has the same model, and it's been shown to be very reliable," Jack answered. "If you want, we can get it modded to take Dust Ammo, or even _Overpressure _Ammo once you get the hang of it in its default setting."

"What even _is _'Overpressure Ammo'?" Weiss asked.

"Oh, Overpressure Ammunition, commonly designated as plus-P or plus-P-plus is a small arms ammunition that's been loaded to a higher internal pressure than is standard for ammunition of its caliber, but still lower than the pressure generated by a Proof Round. This is typically done to produce rounds with a higher muzzle velocity and stopping power, such as ammunition used for defensive purposes. Because of this, +P ammunition is typically found in handgun calibers which might be used for defensive purposes," Ruby stated smartly.

"So in essence…"

"+P ammo can _literally _knock a man on his ass," Yang answered, having some of that ammo of her own rigged to the non-lethal beanbag rounds she'd use in the rougher part of town.

"Oh. Well… I guess I'll have to learn a few things," Weiss said looking down at her gift.

"Don't worry, milady. I'll teach you everything you need to know," Jack said patting the girl on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Jack. I feel safer already," the heiress replied with a smile, a certain blond fuming in the background beside another certain redhead who wasn't Ruby.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Following their departure from **MORE DAKKA**, halfway through their ascent to the ground floor so everyone could form their own cliques and mall crawl, a pair of silver eyes caught sight of a familiar-looking mop of snow-white hair and matching matching rabbit ears out in the crowd.

"Hey, there's Arthur!" Ruby squealed happily. "I'll catch up with you guys later! I'm gonna see my BFFL!"

"BFF_L_?" Blake asked confusedly.

"Boyfriend for life!" the girl exclaimed as she vaulted over the side of the escalator, rose petals flurrying around her as she wove through the crowd. "Hey! Hey you!Hey, wait up!" the girl cried out as she approached her target.

Whirling the whitette around, Ruby's eyes went wide as, instead of seeing her boyfriend in front of her, it was instead a white-haired Rabbit Faunus _girl_, who just so happened to be wearing tomboyish clothes.

And looked exactly like Arthur from behind.

"What do you _want_?!" the girl asked irately.

"Oh! Um! Sorry! I thought you were someone else!" Ruby explained hurriedly.

"I have _white _hair, red eyes, and _rabbit_ ears. _How many _people could you _possibly_ mistake me for?" the Faunus girl asked irritably.

"My boyfriend," Ruby answered in a matter-of-fact tone, one finger raised.

"Oh…? Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry!" the Faunus girl suddenly apologized in turn, features softening. "I thought this was one of those stupid _Human _things where you can't tell any of us apart. Sorry I took it out on you."

"Apology… accepted…?" Ruby returned.

"That's great," she nodded. "Anyway, good luck with that boyfriend of yours," she said waving herself off in the most-polite way of excusing herself from the conversation.

"Hmmm… I wonder _where _that boyfriend of mine could be," Ruby hummed as she fished for her Scroll in her pocket.

"Boyfriend, eh? _I _can play the part~" an oil-like voice said as an unfamiliar hand grabbed her shoulder.

Whirled around, Ruby saw a guy as old as the fourth-year students at Beacon standing behind her. He had pasty skin with, yellowed nails and teeth (one of which was missing), and an ugly mullet. His clothes weren't much better, consisting of a white shirt with sweat-stains, a denim vest, beat-up jeans with holes in them, and ratty sneakers.

In short, the guy looked like a complete and utter douchebag.

Oh, and two guys of similar attire and slightly-different build were coming up behind him.

"Ooooh… Sorry, but… The role's already been taken," Ruby said pinching the guy's wrist between her fingers and lifting it away, only for both hands to grasp them harder, stopping her retreat.

"Always room for an understudy~"

"No, really, the casting call's _over_-"

"Casting call's _never _over~"

"Okay, seriously, no means no-"

"Hey!" a familiar voice suddenly called out, Ruby looking over her shoulders to see not another Arthur lookalike, but "the real Asimov"… McCoy… whatever.

'_Arthur! You're here!' _Ruby thought happily.

"Let the girl go, she isn't interested," Arthur said narrowing his eyes, adjusting his fingers around the handles of the **Express Electronics **bag in his hand. "Or do you not know the meaning of the word '_no_'?"

"Oh? And who are _you _supposed to be?" the leader asked snidely as he stepped around Ruby.

"Her boyfriend!" Arthur snapped back jabbing a thumb at his chest.

"Yeah!" Ruby chirped, moving to step around the punk only to be held back by the other two flunkies.

"Oh, I think she can do _way _better than some dumb _bunny_," the leader snarked.

"Better a 'bunny' than a 'second-hand _bitch_', with a bad _haircut_," Arthur smirked back.

"Oh _snap_!" someone yelped from the growing crowd ringing them.

"Oh, a _wise _guy, eh?" the leader asked as he drew a wicked-looking curved knife.

"Oh wow. A curved knife. Didn't see _that _coming," Arthur wailed in a sarcastic stage-spoken tone, drawing a can of soda from his coat; the top quarter of it was an electric blue, the rest of it chrome, a sideways bolt of lightning emblazoned across the top.

"You can take your soda break when you're _dead_!" the leader yelled as he ran forward, mall-goers beginning to freak out at the threat of _actual _violence.

"Oh no, by all means, you can _have _it," Arthur said with a small smirk as he pulled the tab.

A moment later and the can _leaped _out of his hand, the chromed section unfurling into three puck-like shapes and forming a snake-like body. From the blue section of the can, a black head with golden eyes, electric marks, and a blue muzzle unfolded, giving the now-revealed robot a vaguely snake-like appearance.

"Ha! Like I'm afraid of snakes!"

"Who said it was a _snake_?" Arthur asked, the leader's brows quirking before the snake-like robot wrapped around his ankle and delivered an intense electric shock that caused his muscles to lock up.

The two goons surprised by the sudden turn of events, were unprepared for Ruby kicking both legs up and hitting them each in the face before swinging her legs back down, throwing them over her shoulders with the momentum into their leader, spreading the charge among them. The now-revealed eel-like robot's charge extinguished, an adorable whine sounding as it slithered away before returning to its can-shaped carry-on form, Arthur snatched it and Ruby's wrists in his hand before running off, mall security descending on the knife-wielding Human and his cohorts moments later.

_***NEW WORLD***_

After a quick exit from the below-ground mall, Arthur and Ruby found themselves on one of the parnk benches above ground, sitting in the shade of a bit of greenery.

"Arthur, that was so _amazing_! You have another Candroid ready _already_?" Ruby awed excitedly as she frantically reached for the can.

"Yeah, but it's still in the prototyping stage," Arthur said opening one of the puck-like slots with a screwdriver, only to flinch back as acrid smoke belched out of it, his nose crinkling. "Great. Everything melted _together _again," he sighed as he closed the hatch. _"Maybe if I harden the _wiring_…"_

"Well, even if this little guy's still in his early stages, he _definitely _made Mullet Guy see stars," Ruby giggled lightly.

"Yeah, that _was _pretty funny," Arthur chuckled. "Glad I was around. I mean! I'm sure you could've handled _yourself _out there but-"

"It's okay, I know what you meant," Ruby smiled. "It was really sweet, though."

The peck to his cheek left the Faunus blushing bright red.

"So… What you up to?" she asked glancing at Arthur's bag.

"Oh… just getting some parts, some components," the Faunus shrugged. "How about you?"

"Ooh! Weiss got me a new gun from More Dakka!" she said excitedly holding up her voucher.

"You'd better hold _on _to that. You flash that thing out in the _open _like this and you're gonna be targeted by pick-"

"Yoink!"

"-pockets…" Arthur deadpanned as a skinny guy in a hoodie and baseball cap ran right past them, snagging Ruby's voucher.

"Ah! My voucher!" Ruby cried.

"Don't worry, miss! I've got him!" a mall cop said as he shot after the guy on his segue.

At all of six-and-a-half miles per hour.

"You two enjoy your date! I'll be back shortly!" he said as though he _physically _could not see how-slow he was going.

"Hey! Hands off my girlfriend's loot!" Arthur raged before Ruby could say anything to that.

Before Ruby could even get up from her seat to give chase, Arthur was already off like a shot, actually zipping _past _the would-be thief and rebounding off a lamp post before flying right at the guy's face in a white blur. Fist raised, the Faunus brought his elbow down on the guy's left clavicle with a sickening _***CRUNCH* **_as he passed, the guy tumbling to the ground in a heap as he cradled his now-useless arm.

"WHYYY?! OH GOD, WHYYY!?" he shrieked

"Cause you won't get a _job_!" Arthur growled as he snatched the voucher from the guy's hand.

"Whoa! Where'd you learn to do _that_?" Ruby asked, eyes wide with awe as she ran up to him.

"O-Oh, um… You know… Pushups, sit-ups, plenty of juice…" Arthur chuckled nervously.

As though he was saying someone _else's _words.

" . . . Hm. Sounds legit," the girl nodded, taking back the voucher.

"Hey! I said I was going to get that!" the mall cop huffed.

"Oh that is such _bullshit_!" Ruby yelped red in the face, the sudden use or profanity from the adorable cinnamon roll causing Arthur to flinch back in shock. "All you wanted was _'credit'_! And your moped's a piece of crap too!"

"Hey!"

"C'mon, Arthur. Let's leave."

"Hey, I'm not done with you yet!" the man cried out through his wounded pride.

"Well _we _certainly are," Ruby huffed. "CHEESE IT!"

The next moment Arthur was lifted off his feet as Ruby bolted off in a plume of rose petals, those nearby left choking on them as the two teens vanished from the mall.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So… Now that we won't get _interrupted _again… _hopefully…_" Arthur told Ruby after they escaped the mall cop. "What've _you _been up to lately?"

"Oh! Good news! We're going to be going on _missions _soon!" Ruby said excitedly.

"_Really_?" Arthur nodded with raised brows. "That's… great…"

"You sound _less_-than-enthused," Ruby stated with a hooded stare. "_Why_?" she asked crossing her arms.

"I'm just… I'm worried," Arthur returned. "I'm worried if anything _happens_ to you… I'll never find love again."

"Ah, Arthur~" Ruby breathed. "That's so _sweet_."

"Ruby, I'm _serious_. Do you know how _many _first-years get axed when they go on their first missions?" Arthur asserted.

"Um… Not_… many_?" Ruby groused.

"Let's just say the numbers are _less _than thrilling," Arthur deadpanned. "Ruby… I need to know…" he began, wringing his hands. "Are you going to wind up putting 'the mission' before _us_? Is there even _an _'us' to put behind 'the mission'?"

"What? Of _course _there's an 'us', why would you even _ask _that?"

"Because the leading cause of Hunters dying out in the field is acting like 'retreat' isn't an option. As though running away would be a wound on their souls they could never run away from," Arthur said clasping his hands together, knuckles turning white. "Ruby, we've only been 'boyfriend and girlfriend' for a little while, but I can't imagine my life _without _you, so I need to know… _Will _you be able to chose 'survival' over 'pride'? Will you _really _be able to chose _life_, over the _mission_?"

"I wonder… _Can _I…?" she asked looking down at her own hands, which were equally clasped and knuckle-whitened at the dour turn their conversation took. "Did… Did my _mother _make the same choice?"

"Ah, wait, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay," Ruby said as a hand found his. "You're right, this is something I haven't _thought _of, to be honest. I guess… I guess I still have this romanticized _ideal _about what being a Huntress would be like, I never took the time to consider the toll it'd have on those _around _me."

" . . . I'm just scared. For _both _of us."

"Yeah… I am too," Ruby admitted, the two entering a long silence for several minutes before she spoke up again. "Hey Arthur?"

"Yeah?"

"After I graduate Beacon, let's get _married_."

"Whoa! Death flag!"

"YANG?!" Ruby squawked as she looked over her shoulder.

"Oh, uh… _shit_, you weren't supposed to hear that," the blond said bashfully from the other side of the bus stop the two lovebirds had been sitting in.

"Yang, how long've you been _following _us?!" Ruby squeaked, red as her hood.

"Since your little fu-"

"_-boyfriend_, broke that guy's collarbone," Blake interjected before her partner could say something _lewd_. And inappropriate.

Which given the context of things was kind of a given.

"I _tried _stopping her, I really did," Weiss sighed tiredly.

"Still, that was some pretty heavy _stuff _you were talking about," Yang hummed. "You wanna _talk _about it?"

"No," Ruby said plainly. "Arthur, could you turn around for five minutes?"

"Why?"

"Because I need to strangle my big sister and I don't want you seeing my _ugly _side," Ruby said raising her curled hands menacingly.

"O-Oh, you could _never _have an 'ugly' side," Arthur stuttered.

"Arthur, you'll thank me for this later."

Grabbing him by the collar and mashing their lips together for several moments, Arthur's eyes shot wide open while Ruby's were closed. The girl molding her body against his, after several moments more she released him, his face the same shade of red hers had been when Yang walked in on their private moment.

"Wow. Talk about '_girl power_'_,_" Blake hummed as she waved a hand in front of Arthur's face.

The lights were on, but no-one was home.

"Why you little!" Ruby growled as she dove for Yang's throat, only for Weiss to hold the girl back, if just-barely.

"Well, at least we won't have anything weird-or-unusual happen _tomorrow_," Jaune hummed as he watched Ruby try to throttle her sister.

"Jauney-boy, I'm gonna tell you this because you respect my opinion so much," Nora hummed patting his shoulder.

"I really _don't_."

Jaune was smart enough _not _to say that out loud.

"In all my years, I've come to learn something that holds true for everyone, in every era," Nora continued. "The universe has a sick sense of humor so you shouldn't _jinx _it."

"I highly doubt we're talking cause-and-effect here."

"Oh, you'd be _surprised_~" Nora hummed. "You'd beeee surpriiiiised~"

" . . . Well _that _was fucking ominous," Jack hummed.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**A hadn't completely re-watched ****RWBY Chibi**** before writing out this chapter, but the store "Always 17" as shown in ****RWBY Chibi**** Episode 21: Cinder Who?, gave me some of the starting idea. I also referenced some **_**fictional **_**clothing stores/products in this chapter as well, alongside some other references.**

**Hope you tell me what you think, and that you look forward to the two-parter I'd been building up to since ****Giant-Slayer (Volume 1)****.**

**Until next time!**


	16. The Reponing

**Anime PJ: **A Kingsman reference and a John Wick reference rolled up into one scene? Well played, sir, well played indeed. A fantastically entertaining chapter overall.

**NeoNazo356:** Thank you very much. Most people bitch and whine about quote/unquote "filler", as well as Cameos, so it's nice to get some positive feedback for it.

**Blaze1992: **So what the kingsmen store was a combo of the tailor shop from the kingsmen movies and the armed tailor from John wick 2?  
I am surprised then you didn't show the umbrella gun or the suitcase SMG/Shield.  
Also quick question do you accept OC's idea's?

**NeoNazo356: **Yeah, a combo of the two, since the protagonists of both movies are very finely dressed, and it seemed like a reasonable-enough joint-cameo to make. As for the Umbrella/Gun or Suitcase SMG/Shield, those sound like pre-existing weapon combinations that _could _appear in the Canon with how varied and diverse the weapons can become.  
As for the OCs... It's a matter of context. If they're one-offs that only appear in one chapter that's fine, you just need to provide _enough _detail so I don't have to do too much patch-work. As for long-term, as in the plot of the story would "mandate" their presence... I already have plenty of OCs I've already put in, and the various Crossovers/Cameos will have the Casting List quite long as well, so long-term I don't think so. Unless they're VERY compelling, but if they're just re-skins, like most of the OCs on this site tend to be, I'll just ignore them in the long-term sense.  
Oh, but in the context of _this _story, it _would _help if they were thematic after Color or a Fictional Character like the cast of RWBY. But that being the case, OC inclusion would be a "soft maybe" unless you (or others) did a VERY good job with them.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Saturday morning. The most sacred of mornings for the weary college student.

The earliest time in the week he could slack off and sleep in until noon. Especially after the disappointing "outing" with Weiss he'd been able to eke out the day prior.

His eyes fluttering open, the rest of his team snoozing soundly around him, with no pressing engagements that day, Jaune wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and go back to sleep.

However, that wish would not be acquiesced to, as right as he was about to drift off to sleep once more, a text message came in.

Or rather, it was who the text was _from _that prevented Jaune from rolling back to slumber.

Jaune. Get your sword and your armor and meet up with us at the fountain in the plaza. We're doing some early-morning one-on-two training.

Jack

_'One-on-two? Hm. Must've been a bad auto-correct,' _Jaune thought to himself as he rolled out of bed and gathered his gear together.

Since it wasn't as-obtrusive as Nora's war hammer/grenade launcher, Magnhild, it wasn't too much trouble to keep his gear under his bed.

_***NEW WORLD***_

It wasn't _too _early in the morning, but still a ways away from noon. As Jaune made his way toward the fountain plaza, passing by students of all kinds going about for their own early-morning activities, he spotted a familiar head of monochrome hair, the Faunus in question clad in his leather vine-patterned armor.

However, as he got closer he realized Jack wasn't _alone_. Standing next to him and out of view was the hulking figure of Cardin Winchester, also clad in full armor, the end of his massive mace resting on the ground at his side.

_'Jack _and _Cardin… That's okay, I can still work with this,' _Jaune sighed, somewhat used to being kicked around by the two of them.

Still, that was why he was _doing _this.

To get stronger so he _wouldn't _get kicked around like this.

"H-Hey guys!" Jaune greeted as-amicably as he could. The two of them turning around to face him, a _third _figure came into view, and this one caused his blood to chill in his veins. "N-N-_Nickie_!?"

"Sup, Bitch-face?" his younger sister asked, leveling him with an irate look, her fingers drumming the handle of a familiar suitcase. "_You _certainly took your sweet time."

"W-W-Why are _you _here?" he gawped, voice quivering as he flinched back.

"I'm here to take back what's rightfully mine; the family heirloom!" she declared, a strong yet delicate finger pointed at the Crocea Mors dangling from Jaune's hip.

"Y-You can't _have _it!" Jaune yelped, tightening his grip on the family legacy as his hands went for it. "It's _mine_!"

"Oh, I think you're quite _wrong _about that," Nickie said putting her suitcase on the ground and undoing the latches. "I know you were a bit of a slacker at school, but certainly even _you _know how to _read,_" she said drawing forth something more-powerful (in this context) than any weapon.

Emblazoned across the top of the form were the words **Order of Repossession**, a picture of the Crocea Mors mounted atop a fireplace's mantle included. Most of the smaller print was too fine to read from a distance, but it was the signatures of approval at the bottom that caused Jaune's heart to stop in his chest.

**Germ****á****n Luis Arc**

**Regina Jeanne Arc**

"Wh… What…?" Jaune gawped, feeling the color draining from his face.

"That's _right_, Bitch-face. This. Is. The Reponing!" Nickie cackled, the girl getting an odd looks from her entourage. " . . . It's a combo of 'Repo' and 'Reckoning,'" she clarified.

"Oh, I get it," Cardin hummed.

"So, has Jaune _always _been this slow, or is he just _stupid_?" Jack asked as Jaune's mouth continued to open and close like a fish's.

"He's a _slacker_, plain and simple," the boy's sister bit out. "You know what this _means_, right?" she asked in a louder tone, drawing the attention of passerby. "Listen up you little _thief_! We can do this the _easy _way, or the _hard _way! Now hand over that sword!"

"N-No! Please! It's all I have!" Jaune pleaded, clutching the family heirloom to his chest.

"Fine. We'll do it the _hard _way," Nickie said with a tired sigh and a snap of her fingers. "Boys."

"Yes?" the two asked.

"Get him," she ordered darkly.

"Yes, ma'am," Jack and Cardin replied with a nod, the smirk on their faces causing Jaune's heart to sink into his stomach.

"Wa-wa-wait! Mercy!"

"Sorry! Fresh _out _of mercy!" Jack smirked.

"Though we've got a two-for-one offer on _ass_-kickings!" Cardin added.

The next moment Cardin's mace found Jaune's chest plate, sending him flying through the air as-easily as the _last _time they'd fought. Before he could hit the ground however, Jack was instantly behind him, catching him around the waist and driving his head into the ground in a textbook German Suplex.

Suffice it to say, while Jaune had more Aura than the average person by merit of his own constitution, the damage was in no way insignificant.

Jaune falling to his stomach, got his limbs underneath himself and tried to rise, only for Jack to grab him by the back of his collar and belt before kneeing him in the stomach. The air succinctly emptied from his lungs, he was then thrown into another of Cardin's mace strikes and oncemore sent flying, only this time he was caught in a standing lariat, the blond sent pinwheeling through the air before landing flat on his back once again.

It was around _this _moment that Teams RWBY and JNPR arrived on the scene, following those that came to see the spectacle.

"What's going on here?" Pyrrha demanded, her eyes soon falling to the boy sprawled out on the ground. "JAUNE!" Stepping forward to help him, her path was swiftly barred by a familiar face. "Nickie?"

"Stay out of this. You don't have a dog in this fight," the blond growled.

"What are you talking about? They're _hurting _him!" Pyrrha cried as Jack and Cardin proceeded to kick the downed blond, still clutching the family heirloom to his chest as he turtled up.

"Obviously, _someone _hasn't been kept in the _loop_," Nickie said holding up the repo order, a proud smirk on her face as _Pyrrha's_ fell upon reading it.

"What's _that_?" Nora asked, fingers drumming the handle of her Magnhild while Ren just _barely _managed to restrain her.

"It's… a _repo _order…" Pyrrha's voice trailed off into a defeated tone. As though what was going on before her was out of her hands.

Which, technically, it kind of _was_.

"Repo? Repossessing _what_?" Yang asked, torn between beating the shit out of Cardin and trusting Jack's judgement on the matter. She hadn't known the Faunus _that _long, but she knew he never did things without a reason.

"What am I repossessing? Oh, nothing _much_, just... the family heirloom that Bitch-face _stole_ from me," Nickie replied with an upward lilt, the smirk on her face growing as shocked expressions spread across RWBY, JNPR, and the growing crowd. "What, did he never _tell _you that?" she asked, adding fuel to the fire. "That he stole the family heirloom meant for _me_?"

"No! He most-certainly did _not_!" Weiss spoke up, rather angrily at that.

"What're _you _getting so upset about?" Yang asked with a raised brow.

"As someone with a family legacy to uphold, let's just say that someone outright _stealing _an heirloom from its intended recipient is something I take _great _personal offense to!" Weiss growled between grit teeth.

"Jaune… This isn't _true_… _is _it?" Ruby asked hopefully, subconsciously clutching her Crescent Rose to her chest.

"No!" Jaune blurted out instinctively before realizing he'd dug himself a little deeper. "I mean… Yes, _technically_," he amended. "But I can explain!"

"I think your sister's explained plenty," Ren hummed, crossing his arms.

"Oh ho ho ho _ho_!" Nickie whooped. "No, no I don't think I've explained enough _juuuust _yet~"

"Nickie, please, I'm _begging _you-"

"Did you know that Jaune _never _went to Combat School?"

" . . . What?" Weiss asked, her brow twitching and shoulders trembling with barely-suppressed rage.

"_Yeah_! Guy totally got his hands on some fake transcripts and lied his way into Beacon. A real _dick move _if you ask _me_," Nickie said with a hand-wave, adding more fuel to the fire. "Still don't know how he _survived _the entrance exam. Must've had his hand held along the way," the blond said dismissively, Pyrrha shifting uncomfortably to the side.

At the same time in the surrounding crowd…

_"Hey, is that really true?"_

_"Did he _really_ lie his way into Beacon?"_

_"It was pretty weird how _weak_ he was."_

_"No _wonder_ his form was so bad."_

_"That _phony_!"_

_"Why was _he _made leader instead of Pyrrha Nikos?!"_

The mutterings of the crowd growing louder and more caustic, Jaune's eyes darted to the crowd, his blood turning to ice water in his veins as eyes filled with derision and scorn bore holes into him from all sides as Nickie played the crowd, her every word riling them.

Some in the crowd were merely _disappointed _with him, but _others _outright _loathed _him. Many (read: all) who loathed him had worked their entire _lives _just for a _chance _to attend the prestigious Beacon Academy, so to learn that someone in its most-hallowed field of study had _lied _their way in was something none of them could abide by.

That he'd gone as far as to steal the family heirloom from its rightful recipient was simply icing on the cake.

"Man, Jaune, you _really _dug yourself into a hole, _didn't _ya?" Nickie asked, choosing instead to focus on the hurt, angered, and _betrayed _looks that Teams RWBY and JNPR were sending her brother's way instead of actually _looking _at him. "What's the matter? Nothing to _say_? You were always so _good _at running your mouth. Hell, the fact that your little charade lasted _this _long is nothing short of _amazing_. That takes real _talent _you know. If you'd become an actor, you could've easily won an Academy _Award _for this kind of performance."

"Nickie… Why are you doing this…?"

"Because it should've been _me_! If not _now_, then _later_!" Nickie snapped. "You getting into Beacon on nothing but lies with the sword that was meant for me after _you _gave up on becoming a Huntsman… That really _pisses _me off!" she raged, a vein angrily throbbing on her forehead as she let her anger show.

"Man, Jaune, your sister is _scary_," Cardin shuddered, the most _confusing _boner of all time forming within the confines of his battle pants.

"_DOUBLEEEEE…!"_

"Hey Jack, do you hear something?"

"_DYNAMIIIIIC…!"_

"Yeah, it sounds like it's getting closer-"

"ENTRY!"

**Cue Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth OST – Starlight (by Suara)**

The next moment a blur of fine clothing cut through the air, sun at its back, as a pair of riding boots struck Jack and Cardin in the face one apiece, the two of them sent tumbling through the air on the force of the blow, throwing them away from their downed quarry.

"The _fuck_?!" Cardin yelped, he and Jack spitting out dirt and grass as they rolled onto their backs to get a look at their attacker, a pair of fresh shoeprints on their faces.

"You… you're…" Jaune gaped as he looked up.

"The _RA_?" Jack blinked confusedly.

"Yeah! That's me! And _as _the RA, I take offense to you beating up this helpless loser when I can do something about it!" he said jabbing his chest with his left thumb.

"Hey!"

"Quiet. I'm _speaking _for you," Vincent said over his shoulder, never peeling his eyes from the two attackers. "Now, I don't know the whole story here, but I know that _violence _isn't the answer for it, so why don't we all sit down, discuss this like reasonable adults, and-"

"You kicked me in the fucking _face_!"

"-or we could _escalate…_" Vincent said wearily as Cardin rushed at him, mace raised over his head. "Fine… We'll do it _your _way…" he sighed, eyes closed as Cardin closed in on him.

The next moment, eyes of crimson and violet snapped open before ribbons of silver light spilled out, a breath of air drawn in before he exhaled a silver-tinged cone of air. The high-speed air washing over Cardin and Jack behind him, crystals of ice began to form across their bodies, the spectators in their general direction fleeing in opposite directions as grass froze, shattered, and tumbled.

"C-C-C-C-_COOOOOOOLD_!" Cardin shivered, teeth chattering as the crystals forming across his body grew into a sheet.

_'This power… could it be…?' _Jack asked as the chilling winds washed over him. _' . . . No. No, it isn't _that _kind of power. If anything, it's closer to Psychokinesis,' _he thought, noting that not a shred of activated Aura was coming off of him. _'It's been a while since I've fought an Esper…' _he noted as ice crystals began to form across his body. "Heh. At least today won't be _boring_!"

The wattage output of his body vastly increasing, metabolic energies burning, his skin gained a reddish tint as his **Shivering **began to stave off the cold, wisps of steam rising from his form as the ice spreading across him began to melt. Digging his heels into the ground and pressing forward, Jack passed in front of Cardin and stood in front of him, the heat rolling off of him freeing the armored teen as well, the larger teen bracing his shoulder against Jack's back as the two pushed through the chilling wind.

"Guys, _seriously_, I _don't _want to have to _hurt_ you two," Vincent said assertively, his left hand going to his shoulder and his right eye clamping shut as the space beneath his mantle glowed orange.

"You should've thought about that before getting _involved_," Cardin growled, shaking the last of the ice crystals from his hair.

"Fine. You _asked _for it," Vincent growled as steel entered his gaze.

Whipping up his right arm the moment the orange glow abated, instead of the familiar ringed chrome he'd become known for, his arm was _now _colored jet black with dull brass-colored mountings, made of a combination of artificial muscle and rigid plastics. His hand in particular looked much more rigid; more mechanical in nature than the wind wielder's default.

Extending the jet black arm up and rolling his articulated fingers into a fist, the brass-colored knuckles of his mechanical hand sprung up like claws, a whirring charge of an electrical build sounding from the artificial hand. Visible only to certain Faunus nearby, a pair of UV lasers painted the approaching Jack and Cardin, an arc of electricity in the form of tiny motes of light leaping between them too fast to dodge. The two's muscles violently contracting, Jack and Cardin were dropped to the ground like twin sacks of potatoes.

However, while Cardin completely locked up and hit the ground with a _***Thud***_, twitching and convulsing (and even peeing himself a little though Cardin would never _admit _as such), Jack was able to get his hands beneath him, shaking the high voltage off by merit of pre-existing nerve damage.

"That… should've done more damage…" Vincent said with wide eyes, looking between the still-standing Faunus and the "taser knuckles" on his artificial hand.

"A couple _years_ ago maybe, but _I_, have developed an _immunity_," Jack half-lied through his teeth, striding forward as-confidently as his clamped-down muscles would allow.

"Final warning! I was trying to be nice, but you're making it _really _difficult to be _civil _here!" Vincent said taking a solitary step back.

"Bring it on, Robot-Cop. Hit me with your best shot!" Jack proclaimed, arms spread as though waiting to receive a hug.

Narrowing his eyes at Jaune's attacker, Vincent raised his right arm up once more, his feet set parallel to the jet-black limb behind him. His hand folding at the wrist completely under his arm, the hard plastic plates making up his forearm expanded away from a triangular nozzle concealed within, a mechanism spooling loudly as energy was drawn into it.

It was _then _that Jack realized… he'd fucked up.

The invisible deuterium-fluoride laser painting Jack before he could even _contemplate _dodging, the wall of concussive force that struck him threw him _completely _off his feet, the Faunus sent sailing through the air and striking one of the nearby pillars, his body leaving a spiderweb crack before he slumped to the ground.

At around roughly the same time Jack hit the ground, Vincent _too _dropped to one knee, his right arm hanging at his side as the plates flanking the nozzle vented heat before the mechanical limb closed itself up, his mantle falling over it concealing the wave of chittering metal turning black muscles and plastic into chromed rings once more.

"Ow…" Jack groaned, blood trickling down his chin. "Anyone get the number on the thing that _hit _me?"

"Don't worry Jack…" Cardin said as he got to his feet. "_I'll _avenge you."

"Not dead yet, but I _love _the energy," Jack said plainly as though critiquing an actor. "Go on, then. _Kick _his ass."

"You got it, buddy!" Cardin whooped energetically as he closed in on Vincent once more, a little clumsily but still menacingly to someone at their knee.

"They attacked first! You all saw it! **AIR BLADES!**" Vincent cried as he threw out his flesh-and-blood hand, a half-dozen emerald discs of wind whirling to life around him before they dove at Cardin from all angles.

"Ohshit!" Cardin yelped as he flailed around the buzzsaw-like blades. Scores gouged out across his armor, in the midst of his flailing, one of the air blades bit into the shaft of his mace, dropping the end of his weapon atop his head with a _***CLANG***_, the red-head clutching the goose egg left behind as he rolled on the ground.

**END OST**

"There…" the whitette sighed, drawing in a breath before he walked over to Jaune, extending his hand. "Hey, are you alright?"

"Y… Yeah, I'm fine…" Jaune said accepting the hand and was lifted to his feet. "So uh… Thanks… For helping me out back there."

"Well, I can't really stand _bullies_, sooo…"

"Bullies?!" Nickie cried out irately. "Jack and Cardin are the _good guys _in this situation!"

"Come again?" Vincent asked with a confused look.

"Jack and Cardin were _repossessing _something that was _stolen_!" Nickie answered irately. "_Jaune's _the bad guy here!" she said jabbing an incriminating finger his way.

" . . . "

What followed was a tense moment of silence before…

"Ow… Ow, ow, _ow_! My hand! You're crushing my hand!" Jaune cried as the hand gripping his own slowly tightened like a vice, the bones in his hand creaking and fingers turning purple as the pressure continued to mount. The pain soon growing so-intense that Jaune was forced to his knees, looking up, the blond saw his rescuer mechanically turn his head towards him, the previous friendliness completely gone in lieu of smoldering loathing.

"You… LIED to me!" Vincent raged as fire burned in his eyes, Jaune squealing as he genuinely felt something break in his hand. "I stood up for you and you LIED to me!"

"Wait! Ow! Please! Ow! If you'll just let me explain…!" Jaune cried as he tried to pull away, tears stinging his eyes as his fingers began to bend in directions they weren't meant to bend.

"Why? So you can lie to my FACE?!" Vincent growled as murderous intent flooded off his body, the betrayal he felt fueling an undying rage he hadn't felt before. "No… No, I don't think so," the older teen said as he drew back his right arm, Jaune yelping as he raised his remaining arm to block the string of blows that rained down on him.

What followed was an unadulterated beatdown, Jaune's hope for escape nonexistent as the flesh-and-blood hand around his clamped down with almost superhuman force, the other beating his free arm black and blue beneath his armor.

His stamina dropping like a stone as Vincent followed up on the beat-down Jack and Cardin so-lovingly provided, the last of his energy evaporating, his free arm fell to his side, leaving him completely exposed to the powerful right hook Vincent was preparing; if how-much he was drawing back his arm was any indicator.

_"Crapbaskets…"_ Jaune muttered under his breath, eyes closing before the fist of ringed chrome could descend upon him.

_***WHAM***_

" . . . Huh?" Jaune asked a moment later, realizing he had _not _been struck. " . . . Ni… Nickie?" he gaped as he opened his eyes, witnessing his sister standing above him and holding the arm of ringed chrome at back, her arm trembling from the force but otherwise holding firm as her heels skid back an inch.

"Jaune might be a liar, a cheater, and even a fraud," Nickie said looking Vincent in the eye as he regarded her. "I might absolutely _loathe _the fact that he got into Beacon without putting even an _ounce _of effort into it," she continued as her arm shook, but didn't yield. "And while it'd _totally _be hilarious to put 'Was fisted to death.' on his tombstone… He's still my brother," the girl conceded. "I might not _like _him, but I still love him. And I'd be a pretty bad sister if I let you cave his face in, well-deserved or not, sword or no sword."

" . . . "

" . . . "

" . . . "

The tension steadily rising as once-friendly eyes held an edge of cold steel, heterochromatic eyes regarded Nickie, then Jaune, then Nickie again. The pretty blond staring into mis-matched eyes, unflinching, after several long moments, Jaune let out a pained hiss as he nursed his now-freed hand, his former captor letting out a hiss of his own as his eyes drooped shut.

"Sorry. I'm not a big fan of liars," Vincent said once the anger bled out of his eyes, shoulders slumped tiredly.

"Yeah, well, we're in the same boat on that one," Nickie hummed. "Don't hold it against my brother or anything. _He got his dick broken by a seventy year-old _librarian_," _she whispered into his ear.

" . . . Is that some kind of _metaphor _or something?" Vincent asked confusedly with an innocent tilt of his head.

"No. No it is _not_," the blond chuckled.

"I think you broke my fingers," Jaune whimpered as he cradled his mangled hand.

"Quiet, you," Nickie bit out before turning back to Vincent. "So… Yeah, looks like we solved _that _misunderstanding, sooo…"

"Right, the sword," Vincent hummed as he let go of Jaune's hand before walking off to recover aforementioned stolen property.

However, instead of handing it off to _Nickie_, Vincent instead walked towards Jack and Cardin as the two regained their footing.

"I acted without thinking. Please forgive me," Vincent said sincerely, bowing his head deeply as he offered the sword and shield to Jack.

"Well… At least you _apologized_… so… yeah… Yeah, we're good," Jack acquiesced, unused to receiving such heartfelt apologies; from a _Human _no less.

"Thank you. I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused," the whitette replied evenly as he walked away. Stopping halfway out of the plaza and giving Jaune the stink-eye, his lips curled up into a snarl, Vincent spat on the ground with an audible _***Pui* **_before walking off three more steps, letting out another _***Pui* **_before leaving the plaza for good.

"Well…" Jack hummed as he walked up to Nickie and held out the sheathed sword for her to take. "There was an interruption or two, but we got the thing back, just as ordered."

"And I appreciate you for it," Nickie said with a smile, briefly looking to the spectators surrounding the plaza before turning her eyes back to Jaune, the blond wilting under their eyes. "C'mon, bro, you _knew _this was the only way it could _end_," the girl said flippantly.

"Yeah, Jaune. You know the old saying. 'The truth will set you free'," Cardin chuckled, tickled pink that contextually, he _wasn't _the bad guy in this scenario.

It was all relative.

. . . Don't look at me like that.

"I'm also quite fond of 'What goes around comes around'," Jack hummed, stepping back to watch the spectacle that was to unfold as Teams RWBY and JNPR converged around him.

"Guys, I-"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'D DO SOMETHING SO-DESPICABLE!" Weiss, the last person Jaune ever wanted to be angry at him, shrieked _lividly _at him the moment the spectators began to disperse.

"Weiss… wait… I can explain…" Jaune offered weakly.

"Don't say my name! You don't have the _right_! And don't you _ever _talk to me again!" the heiress shrieked as she struck him across the face with the back of her hand before angrily storming off.

"Well… You done _goofed_."

"_Nora_… But yes, you really _did _screw the pooch this time," Ren chided before turning his attention back to Jaune.

"Ren, I-"

"So. The truth finally comes out, doesn't it?" the Mistrali teen asked with a cold look in his eyes.

"Ren, I was _going _to tell you-"

"When? After Nora was killed? After Pyrrha was killed? After _I _was killed?" Ren asked accusingly.

"N-No! I would never-"

"Tell the _truth_? Yeah, I guess that's why your _sister _had to do it _for _you," Ren growled lowly, the absolute loathing in his tone causing Jaune to shrink back under the Mistrali teen's lightish-red eyes bore into him.

"Ruby?"

"Jaune, I… I'm not sure what to _say _to all this," the red-head muttered, clutching at her own weapon as she took a step away from him, the hurt and betrayal visible in her eyes hurting Jaune more than any blade or fist or _mace_ could've.

"Man, no _wonder _Jack had an axe to grind with you," Yang said scratching her head as she walked away, washing her hands of the entire thing, Blake following after with nothing to add.

"Pyrrha…?" Jaune asked timidly as he turned to her.

"Jaune, I… I need to be alone for a while."

Refusing to even look him in the eye, Pyrrha turned around and ran off, leaving Jaune without a friend in the world to lean on.

"Well… _That _could've gone better."

"Jack, what the _hell _did I ever do to you?" Jaune asked on the verge of tears as he looked up at his tormentor.

"Hey, don't try and pin this on _me_," the Faunus snapped back. "It's like your sister said; this was the only way it ever could've ended. Your lies _were _going to catch up to you someday. What, did you think after standing up to Cardin in the Foreverfall Forest by not chucking that jar of tree sap at Pyrrha that'd just be the _end _of it? That you'd magically be _acquitted _of your crimes?" Jack asked. "No. At least not if _I _had to say anything about it, and _those _words… were _oh-_so-satisfying," Jack said with a genuinely-happy smile on his face as he walked off. "Don't bother coming to me for training anymore. With the way your career just crashed-and-burned, you'd only taint my good name. _See _ya. Definitely _wouldn't _wanna _be _ya."

"Man, that was just _brutal_," Cardin winced before following after the Faunus. "Hey, you wanna grab a bite?"

"Sure. I could eat."

"Hey, don't look so sad, Bitch-face. All I did was tell the truth; and that's _never _the wrong thing to do," Nickie said as she condescendingly pat Jaune's head, the Crocea Mors now synched to her side. "Oh, but don't worry, it isn't _all _bad. As a consolation prize, here's all that old crap from your closet," she said jabbing her thumb toward an old steamer trunk she'd been standing by the entire time. "Anyway, I think my work here's done. You should really visit home sometime. Or don't. No skin off _my _nose," she said with a haughty tone, patting the family heirloom at her hip as she walked away.

And thus, it was official.

Jaune wanted to roll over and die.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Why…? Why did things have to turn out like this…?" Jaune asked as he walked back into his room an hour later.

With no friends to rely on, he'd had to drag the heavy steamer trunk his sister had brought for him all by himself, and it was _not _fun. Not with how heavy it was, or the looks that people gave him as he passed.

He wasn't in the mood for lunch, or dinner, and after getting the stink-eye all the way home from his peers, he wanted nothing more than to leave tomorrow's problems for his future self.

"Maybe things will be better in the morning," Jaune sighed as he tried to go to sleep, _praying _that were to be the case.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"AAUUUGH!" _*Pant* *Pant* *Pant*_

Blinking his eyes rapidly as he rolled out of bed and onto the floor with a thud, as Jaune's eyes adjusted to the light, he realized that Crocea Mors was still there, under his bed like always.

"Oh… Thank god… It was just a bad dream…" Jaune sighed happily as he rose to his feet before crawling back into bed.

However, right as he was about to drift off to sleep once more, a text message came in.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"OH GOD! IT WASN'T A BAD DREAM!" Jaune yelped as, after arriving at the plaza, he proceeded to get the crap kicked out of him once again in front of the entire school.

Same as before.

As in, the _exact _same. Down to the text, the beat-down in front of everyone both physical _and _verbally, and the sequence of events that followed… and followed… and followed…

**To be continued…**

_***NEW WORLD***_

**AN:  
Originally I was just going to have Nike completely "destroy" Jaune Arc so his **_**duplicity **_**from the Canon would finally be addressed instead of being brushed under the rug the way it was in the Canon after Volume 1.**

**However, since most Jaune-lovers don't believe in "character growth" at Jaune's effort i.e. **_**expense **_**(I had a story **_**taken down **_**because of them; one where Jaune actually paying _attention _to the one-and-only entrance to The Underground Vault led to Ozpin killing Cinder in a "How it Would Have Ended"-esque scenario; but I digress), I decided to mix my original plans with a bit of ****Groundhog Day****. I was more-largely inspired by ****RWBY: ABRG (RWBY Abridged) – Chapter 6 – Grimm-Hog Day**** by **KRWBY Productions**, since I've never actually **_**watched **_**Groundhog Day**** by Harold Ramis and Danny Rubin but have the general idea of the plot.**

**Anyway, if any of you have ever **_**seen **_**the "repeat-a-day" scenario played out, you'll understand what comes next, and why I tacked on the 'To be continued…' placard at the end of this chapter.**

**And if any of you decide to _"__rage quit" _over this and/or the next chapter... then screw you guys. You can go get stuffed.**

**Looking forward to the Reviews, and it goes without saying, but Trolls and Flames will be ignored.**


	17. Many Mistakes, One Answer

**Anime PJ: **Honestly, the only thing I'm even slightly miffed about is that you haven't seen Groundhog Day. Fantastic film. I highly recommend it.  
That was pretty brutal, even by the usual Jaune abuse standards. Not that I'm complaining; it's good that you're addressing what a lot of people choose to ignore. I continue to be highly entertained by Jack's friendship with Cardin, and Vincent jumping into the mix there was highly amusing in its execution. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with this little Groundhog Day loop; it's a very interesting concept to use for Jaune's character growth.

**NeoNazo356: **Well, if Groundhog Day is on Netflix, I'll try and catch it. Happy that's _all _you were "miffed" about.  
And yes, the "loose thread" is _exactly _what I've been building up to "tying up" since Volume 1 of GS. After re-watching RWBY I noticed that the only time Jaune's duplicity even _remotely _got brought up, was when Jaune, completely ill-suited to doing the one thing Ozpin personally asked him to do, the one thing he went to _Beacon _to do, let Amber get killed because he was so completely out-of-his-depth. That and the dumb-as-hell "hit it _harder_" comment from the following volume.  
_GOD _he sounded dumb when he said that.  
Anyway, glad you find Jack's friendship with Cardin entertaining. I've read plenty of stories where Cardin was the whipping boy, so it's kinda satisfying to "break the mold" and have him _grow _as a person, since there was a lot of squandered _potential _in his character. Vincent's "entry" was also satisfying to write, because in a story for a long time that's "centered" around Jack (as people have pointed out in Volume 1), he offers an opportunity to flip the script in creative ways. And of course, if someone's able to find out his _secret _before I reveal it all in-story, it'll be really damn satisfying to see someone "follow the breadcrumbs" I've been leaving behind.  
But that is _quite literally_, "a story for another day".

**Obvious IJ: **Damnit! He was almost gone! Stupid self-insert getting a reset button...  
I'd give that Double Dynamic entry a 9/10.  
Anyone else thought 'Sasuke' when they said red and purple eyes?  
IJ the oblivious one

**NeoNazo356: **Thanks for that. It was a hoot and a half to put in because even after five years post-run, that is _still _a freakin' blast to visualize.  
Also, I recall that Vincent's other eye is "indigo", not purple. Don't think I slipped up on that, but if I did, I'll be mindful in the future. Also, the shock white hair and all the other little descriptors should make it impossible to even _get _a "Sasuke" vibe, but to each their own.

**TM11: **YES! Finally someone who isn't in love with Jaune's character! Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a RWBY fic that isn't about Jaune or where Jaune doesn't get what he deserves for lying his way into Beacon? Finally someone breaks the mold! My friend, if you expel Jaune from Beacon, I'll forever be thankful!

**NeoNazo356: **_Finally_, someone who's actually _happy _for this sort of content for the same reason _I _am. Glad to know there's _other _people willing to look past the veneer and see the bullshit underneath. Everyone else in the cast worked very _hard _to get strong-enough to get into Beacon, Ruby especially, and Jaune getting a free _pass_… never sat right with me, which is why I've been writing out this character arc. Pun not intended.  
And yes, I agree that it's rather hard to find stories that fit into _that _desired demographic. There are a _few_ like that, at least I _imagine_, but the only one I'm aware of where Jaune is explicitly expelled is Reaping with Sorrow by dapperdab19, but then Jaune gets Reaper's powers from Overwatch and the _girls _(Weiss, Blake, Yang) are the ones getting bashed, sooo… Yeah, it's a diamond-in-the-rough kinda thing to find someone willing to break that mold.  
Which is exactly why _I _did this!  
As for whether or not Jaune gets expelled… I worked out a decent-enough compromise that wouldn't completely derail this story from as much of the Canon as I'm willing to grasp to; especially since RWBY began to "lose focus" after the Vytal Festival.  
I honestly think half the reason so many people write Jaune-centric stories is because, as the least-interesting male character, people can live vicariously through him in a Power Fantasy sorta way; like in the Isekai/"Other World" genre.  
_Jack_, as I've written him, is different-enough from _me _that me writing for him isn't "Power Fantasy", it's a story about "Power _Crawl_".

**Guest:** :You must hate Jaune so much to the point of bashing him huh?

**NeoNazo356: **Okay, so I know I said I'd _ignore _stupid stuff like this, but the opportunity for this wicked pot shot was just too good to pass up. Ahehehehm…

Dear Anonymous Dickwaffle 24/7/365,

What I displayed in the previous chapter of my work is called "tough love". I don't purely hate _Jaune_ as the character, but rather, I dislike what he _did _and did _not _"do" in the context of his character. What he _did _that I dislike is getting into Beacon on false transcripts and mooching off of everyone else's abilities. What he did _not _do that I dislike, is skip out on Combat School entirely, the _basics _"of the basics" and still deign to become a Huntsman without knowing something as-fundamental to the _occupation_, as knowing what Aura is. The fact that Jaune didn't even know what _that _was, is like someone wanting to become a truck driver without knowing what _gasoline _is.

Sincerely,  
NeoNazo356

P.S.  
Suck it, Blue.

**And I know they say- "Don't feed the trolls." -, but this is just as much for **_**my **_**entertainment as it is yours.**

**Anyway, on to the conclusion of this arc.**

**And no, that was **_**not **_**an intended pun.**

**Enjoy!**

_***NEW WORLD***_

Suffice it to say, **Day 2 **(as Jaune would come to call it once he realized what was going on was _not _just some "nightmare spiral" he couldn't wake up from) went about as well as the first one.

Jaune got the shit kicked out of him, he got a verbal lashing from his sister, Vincent stepped up to defend him, found out he was protecting the "bad guy" and almost proceeded to break his hand, got _another _verbal lashing from his sister, and had all his friends abandon him.

Like in what he'd eventually call **Day 1 **of his own personal "nightmare spiral", he'd wanted to just roll over and die in bed, hoping things would be better in the morning.

That _should've _been the end of it… but it wasn't…

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Heeere's _Jackie_!" Jack said with a manic look on his face. Aforementioned face which, at the moment, was poking through the hole in the door Jack had made when he'd _literally _taken an axe to it.

All because Jaune refused to bring the family heirloom out to the fountain in the plaza on what would become known as **Day 3 **of this recurring nightmare.

"Please… Just leave me alone!" Jaune begged, clutching Crocea Mors to himself like it were his life line.

"Not gonna _happen_, Jauney-boy!" Cardin said pressing his face up against the glass. "You didn't show up when you were supposed to, so _now_, the three of us are gonna pound you _extra _hard! And _not _in the sexy _fun _way."

"Thu… _Three _of you…?" Jaune whimpered as Jack pulled his face away from the door, which was swiftly kicked-in by his sister, a pissed-off look on her face as she stormed into the room clad in full armor, Orbitars hovering menacingly around her.

"You're making me work _reeeeeally _hard for that heirloom, Bitch-face…" the pretty blond growled as she strode her way into the room and opened the window, Nickie, Cardin, and Jack proceeding to corner the helpless blond leaving no avenue of escape. "I don't know if you caught _on _to us or if you're just lazy, but I know _one _thing for sure… That is _not _a mistake you'll be making a second time."

And of course it wasn't…

Because the next time Jaune woke up, the day would repeat itself, with roughly the same results.

_***NEW WORLD***_

_'Okay… I can't go to the plaza, I can't hide in the dorms, and no matter where on campus I go, Jack and the others always _find _me…' _Jaune thought "a week later" on **Day 10 **as he tried something new.

Leaving Beacon grounds for good.

Not _for good _for good, but he just figured if he hid out in the woods for long enough, he'd be able to come up with a plan, and if _that _didn't work, maybe hope for Nickie to get bored, go home, and pester him about this later after he managed to run damage control.

_'What did I ever do to deserve this?' _Jaune questioned as he was _literally _chased out of Beacon by three bullies and two confused teams.

"There he is!" Cardin shouted off in the distance.

"After hiiim!" Nickie cried.

"I'm confused. What did Jaune _do_?" Ruby asked.

"Oh man do I have a _story _for you!" Nickie whooped.

"Why, Nickie…? Whyyy?" Jaune asked looking over his shoulder.

His eyes on his soon-to-be-ex-friends if previous "playthroughs" of the same day were any indicator, the bumbling blond failed to notice the ground had disappeared in front of him until it was too late, the male Arc sent plummeting helplessly over Beacon Cliff, flailing as he plummeted to the ground below.

Screaming and wincing in pain as the blond tumbled down the cliffside, bones breaking and flesh splitting, after a painful half-minute tumble, Jaune finally hit the ground at the base of the cliff in the old ruins their teams had fought the Giant Nevermore a month before.

He'd still had Aura in his body during the tumble, but based on the amount of blood spattered around him like a bright-red halo, it was obvious even to _him _that all his Aura had been depleted on the landing.

No need to consult his Scroll on _that _fact.

And even if he'd _wanted _to, the thing had shattered into a thousand pieces.

"_Whoa! Holy crap! Is that _all _his blood?!" _Nora's voice echoed from on-high.

"_Oh god, it's _everywhere_!" _Ruby shrieked.

_'So… _This _is what it's like to die…' _Jaune muttered to himself. Everything was getting cold, all his bones were broken, and he couldn't move anything beneath his neck.

What else could this feeling be _but _the icy fingers of death wrapping themselves around his throat, squeezing down.

"_Well… _Shit_. What'm I gonna tell the folks?" _Nickie asked worriedly.

"_The truth. That Jaune wasn't looking where he was going and walked right over the edge of a cliff," _Jack answered plainly. _"Like that one rodent that does the same thing."_

_"You mean a Lemming?" _Nora asked.

_"Yeah. That one," _Jack nodded.

" . . . _I call dibs on his stuff!" _Nora called out a few seconds later. _"What…? Too soon?"_

_'Of all the things that had to be the last-thing I heard… Why'd it have to be _that_?' _Jaune asked as everything went dark.

But of course, like the nine times before it, this was _not _the end of it…

_***NEW WORLD***_

_'Okay… I know not to do _that _this time,' _Jaune thought to himself.

_This _time around, he had the foresight to take the _stairs_.

While he was insanely grateful not to have _died _yesterday, or today, or grateful not to will-have-_had _died that day… he wasn't really looking forward to a repeat-performance of yesterday.

Crossing the rope bridges spanning the crevasse that separated Beacon Cliff from the Emerald Forest, Jaune entered the woods hoping a plan of attack would come to him.

He hadn't _died _yet, so he must've been doing _something _right.

Since Jaune had begun to get some grasp of the "rules" surrounding his current phenomena, assuming it all wasn't just some fever dream, when he reached a crow's foot in the woods he decided to go left, and if _that _didn't get him the "Good Ending", he'd cycle through the right and/or center paths, and see where things took him from there.

Jaune, finding a wall of foliage at the end of the left path, chopped his way through the wall of green with his sword. Poking his head out into a clearing, Jaune saw a half-dozen Beowolf gnawing on the bones of some poor hiker. A shock of terror washing over him, the Grimm thusly snapped their heads up and turned his way, their flame-like eyes boring into his own.

" . . . _Nope_," Jaune said popping the 'p' as he backed away, only for the six Beowolves to give chase. "OHCRAP!" Jaune yelped as he ran away from the clearing, only to tumble on a root. Scrambling to his feet and rolling onto his back, Jaune thrust his sword up into the brain of an attacking Beowolf, only to let out what he _hoped _was a dignified cry as the five other Beowolves descended upon him from every other angle, teeth and claws ripping him to shreds.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"_Nope_!" Jaune said with finality as he turned _away _from the path he'd trod in his previous "life", instead choosing the path on the right.

Walking the path, at the end of it there wasn't a wall of foliage, just an unobstructed view into the clearing beyond and the large rock sitting in the center.

"Hmmm… Everything _looks _kosher…" Jaune hummed as he looked left, then right.

Tip-toeing his way into the clearing, seeing no flame-like eyes hiding in the shadows, Jaune rounded the boulder in the center of the clearing, only for a hot breath to caress the back of his neck. Looking to his right, Jaune saw a large Alpha Beowolf sitting on its haunches, looking down at him.

" . . . Well _that _just isn't _fair_."

"**AROOOOOOOO!"**

"AAUUUUUGH!" Jaune cried as he bolted, only for the Alpha's teeth to sink into his calf and drag him back.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Well _that _was a freakin' disaster," Jaune thought was he bypassed the left and right paths, never losing stride as he went forward and center.

It couldn't be any worse than getting ripped to shreds by lots of small Grimm, or getting ripped to shreds by one _big _Grimm, right?

Wrong.

"So… we meet _again _old friend," Jaune said turning his attention to the Ursa "Major" standing before him in the third clearing, a growl leaving its lips as it rose on its hind legs, towering over him. "Fine. I beat you once, I can do it again," he said boldly, pumping himself up.

The Ursa stomping forward, it raised itself on two legs and brought its right paw down at him, the blond raising up his shield to block. Pushing it away and slashing at the beast's hairy chest, the Grimm stumbled backwards before swiping its left claw across its body, Jaune rolling to the right away from the strike. A right claw swipe running across the ground, Jaune leapt into the air only for a follow-up to catch him in the chestplate, sending him tumbling backwards across the ground.

Getting to his feet and rushing at the Grimm again, running in for a jumping slash, the Grimm struck him with a right claw swipe, once again sending the blond tumbling across the ground. Getting to his feet and seeing that his Aura was at about half-full, Jaune and the Grimm rushed one another once again, the Grimm's right paw drawn back while Jaune drew his own right arm back, Crocea Mors in hand.

The two nearing one another, Jaune's shield arm descending as he moved in for the slash, without Pyrrha's [Polarity] to raise it up and reinforce it against the assault, Jaune's left side took the full brunt of the blow, the blond sent pinwheeling through the air.

Tumbling across the ground, before he could get up, the Grimm's teeth then found his midsection and began thrashing him around, not unlike a shark. After several moments and his Scroll pinging a warning, the blond's Aura was fully depleted and the Grimm's teeth met flesh, fang grinding against bone and innards.

A bloodcurdling cry leaving the blond's lips as the Grimm chomped down into him, the death he experienced was a slow one as the Ursa's jaw strength was great-enough to crush him, but not enough-so to bite him completely in half.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"I'm probably going to regret the _hell _out of this later, but this is the lesser of three evils," Jaune thought the next runthrough as he took the center path oncemore.

Being slowly and painfully bitten in half by a giant Grimm; bad way to go.

Stepping back into the clearing as he'd done before, almost exactly step-for-step, to Jaune's amazement and relief the Grimm acted in the same way it had before, down to which forepaw it used in each attack, in which order.

However, after the previous-final exchange, as the two dove in for the final confrontation, the Ursa's right arm descending at him, Jaune took a knee and braced himself. The Grimm's claws raking across the shield, a horrible metallic screeching noise filling the air, Jaune put his back into stopping the Grimm from crushing him with its monstrous strength.

The Grimm over-extending after the claw swipe, a moment later Jaune leapt upwards with a crescent slash, taking the upper half of the Ursa's head clean off.

Bone-covered head-part bouncing across the ground, as the Grimm began to fall, Jaune leapt backwards away from the now-decaying body, keeping his distance so he wouldn't be exposed to the Grimm's Miasma in its death throes.

"Hah… Hah… Hah… I did it! YEAAAAAAAH!" Jaune whooped, sword arm raised in the air as he did a little victory dance.

Leaving the clearing, high as a kite off his solo-victory, a minute later a bony hand wrapped around his ankle and dragged him into the underbrush with superhuman strength.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Dammit! Why can't I catch a break!" Jaune shrieked, tugging at his hair as he stood at the crow's foot once again.

He goes left, he dies. He goes right, he dies. He goes down the middle, guess what? He dies.

"Wait a minute… Who said I even _have _to follow the path?" he said aloud, the thought striking him.

He had a sword that could cut through foliage like wheat. Why hadn't he thought of this sooner.

"Alright! Let's _do _this thing!" Jaune said as he dove into the bushes between two paths, carving himself a _new _path.

_***NEW WORLD***_

And thus continued Jaune's own personal hell.

Or purgatory.

Or _whatever _it was that was looping him through the same day over and over like this.

If whatever was happening turned out to be his _Semblance_, he wasn't sure whether to be excited or _disappointed_, because while on-paper the ability to "Respawn" with your memories intact was the ultimate Cheat Code, having to _experience _each death or "Bad Ending" in first-person was _not _fun. Especially without the ability to "Fast Travel" or "Skip" "Cutscenes".

Moving onto his adventures… misadventures… whatever you want to call it…

On each subsequent "run" he got a _little_ bit further, but the prevailing problem was his "Stats" were too low to take him very far, since the deeper into the Emerald Forest he tried to run, the stronger the Grimm got, and the faster he died.

It was one thing to accumulate experience and knowledge of _events_, but it was his _body _that couldn't keep up. No matter how much he knew about future events, whatever "foresight" he was experiencing foretold, if he was too slow or too weak to _act upon _that knowledge… well…

He'd been ripped to shreds enough times to figure out _eventually_, that running into the Grimm-infested woods while being worried out-of-his skull with guilt gnawing at him like starving rats was _not _the ideal survival tactic.

After a while he'd tried going back to the plaza, fighting Jack and Cardin head-on with advance knowledge on how they would attack and in what order.

But the problem _there _was for whatever reason, no two fights ever went the same into a subsequent third "Playthrough". He could memorize an attack chain two times before he got his ass kicked, but on the third, everything started _deviating _from the "previous day". Like his opponent's fighting patterns were being "Procedurally Generated", or something _he _was doing was causing a Butterfly Effect even though the events he was changing were only taking place a few _minutes _ahead of time instead of years.

Of course, in the end it didn't matter how-well Jaune fought or for _how _long _anyway_.

Even if he managed to hold Jack and Cardin _off _by way of pattern recognition_, _the problem remained that there wasn't anything to stop _Nickie_ from completely exposing him in front of all his peers and utterly _destroying _his reputation.

Sure, he could probably _attack _her to make her stop, but other than the fact that he didn't _want _to attack his own sister, regardless of how much she hated him, justified or not, if he somehow _did _attack her, he'd be crossing a line and then his _parents _would get involved, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to find out that attacking family would only cause things to get even worse.

All it took was re-living the same day over and over again and consistently getting the "Bad Ending".

After about a "month-straight" of being forced to re-live the same shitty day over and over again, running through every possible scenario to try and get _ahead _of this, an _epiphany _struck him.

Whether it was because of his own thought processes or Jack repeatedly headbutting him in the forehead during one of their encounters wasn't really important.

What _was _important, was that Jaune finally realized what the universe was trying to tell him all this time.

It was time to face the music head-on. No more _running_. No more _hiding_.

He had to face his demons.

He had to break the cycle.

. . . He _really _hoped this would break the cycle.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Everyone! If I could have your attention please!" Jaune shouted loudly, stepping up onto the lip of the fountain before initiating dialogue with Jack, Cardin, and his sister.

_"Hey, Nickie, right? What's he doing?" _Cardin whispered.

_"Yeah. Something's _different _about him," _Jack added, noticing that the way he _carried _himself was completely different from the other day.

There was something _different _in Jaune's eyes. Like the guy had seen something no mortal man was meant to see and grown immeasurably for it.

"_Beats me. Ever since 'the incident', I think he's had a screw loose," _Nickie hummed, Jack wincing off to the side while Cardin wonder what "the incident" even _was _if it could make someone like _Jack Braxton _wince like that.

"I would just like to let everyone know…" he began, _'pause for effect…' _he thought to himself. "That I, am a big fat _phony_!"

This of course caused passerby to look at him with confused looks on their faces, his sister's eyes widening.

_'_Good._ Right on time…' _Jaune thought seeing his and Ruby's team arriving at the plaza.

This would all be for naught unless he came clean to _everyone_.

Everyone that _mattered _at least.

In the grand scheme of things everyone else may as well've been a faceless background character, or an NPC.

'_Well… It's all or nothing,' _he thought to himself. "When I arrived at Beacon, it wasn't by my own merits that I did so! I didn't graduate from Combat School like everyone else, never even _tried _as a matter of fact! I used fake transcripts to get in so I'd be more-desirable!"

At this many in the audience gasped, while the members of Team Ruby and Juniper were stunned into silence.

"As for _why _I lied my way into Beacon… At my last school, a completely ordinary civilian-course highschool, a seventy year-old librarian broke my dick in front of the entire congregation because she thought I had a loaded weapon in my pants, and I could _never _go back there after that," he continued on, several in the audience wincing while others visibly recoiled in disgust at the mention of his wrecked phallus. "After stealing the family heirloom from the mantle and buying the best armor I could afford after getting my fake transcripts, I only made it through the Initiation because of sheer dumb luck. If I didn't have everyone else holding my hand every step of the way, I would've been a smear on the ground and anything I did or _had _done wouldn't have meant a thing," he continued, making sure to jostle the Crocea Mors on his hip so everyone would know _what _the "family heirloom" in question was. "And… yeah, that's pretty much it. That's all my dirty laundry out in the open. Thank you for your _time_, and attention," he said with a bow as though giving a presentation in school.

Once he was satisfied he'd gotten everything off of his chest, and pulled himself out of the gaping _hole _he'd dug for himself over the past month (and then some), he stepped down from the lip of the fountain and walked toward his sister, unclipping the Crocea Mors from his waist before holding it out.

"Nickie. I'm sorry I stole the family heirloom. Here," he said holding out his… _her_, sword. "I believe this is yours. In a way it always _was_."

"Yeah… It _is_," Nickie said with a dumb not as she took the family heirloom back. "You… I didn't expect you to-"

"Air out all my dirty laundry for everyone to hear of my own _volition_?" Jaune asked.

"Yeah… _That_," Nickie nodded.

"Yes, well, I figured my reputation would be hurt less if _I _were the one to come out and say it," Jaune admitted.

And it only took repeating the same "worst day ever" for a month straight to figure that out.

"So… Does this mean we _win_?" Cardin asked. Sure, he'd known about the fake transcripts, but not the _broke-dick _thing. _That_… was not something he'd wish on his worst enemy, actually…

And when he stopped to think about it, having his dick broken in front of the entire school _was _a half-decent excuse to want to transfer to a new school and re-invent yourself.

'_Credit where credit's due. Jaune went the extra mile,' _Cardin hummed, a newfound sense of _respect _for the blond forming.

"I think it means _Nickie _wins," Jack hummed, a satisfied smile on his face. "You know, I might actually be able to _tolerate _you, Jaune. Here I thought you were going to keep digging yourself deeper and deeper until no-one could find the body," the Faunus chuckled. "Takes a lot of _balls _to man up like that."

"_Please don't say balls…" _Jaune whimpered amidst an episodic flashback.

Death #13:Genitals gnawed off by giant naked mole rat-shaped Grimm.

Bad way to go. Especially when you didn't die right-away.

'_And, repressing…' _Jaune thought as he buried _that _memory.

"Still, I guess you finally wised up and asked Ozpin for advice, because otherwise you _never _would've been able to come up with something like this on such short notice," Jack said casually. "Hell, it probably would've taken you a _month _to come up with something like this," he tacked on, never realizing the effects these words would have on the blond's bruised-and-beaten psyche.

At that moment, something inside Jaune broke, his eyes going completely blank before he walked over to one of the nearby trees and grasped the bark with both hands.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

"Uh… What the heck'd you _say _to him?" Cardin asked as Jaune proceeded to beat his head against the tree repeatedly.

"Don't know," Jack shrugged. "I feel like I'm missing some context, but honestly, I don't really care," he admitted openly.

"Should we… Should we _stop _him?" Ruby asked as Jaune continued to beat his head against the tree.

"Don't know. Jaune seems to be punishing himself for _something_, so I say we just leave him to it," Weiss huffed. She was utterly _repulsed _by the idea of even _knowing _Jaune, yet somehow, the very fact that he himself had come out and confessed his sins instead of having someone else do it _for _him, made her hate him a lot less.

"That was… a lot to take in, I'll admit," Blake hummed.

"I didn't even know you could _break _a guy's penis. And believe me, I've _tried_," Yang added frankly only for Blake to elbow her in the ribs.

"Still, this _is _a lot to digest…" Pyrrha hummed.

Sure, she'd known about the false _transcripts _bit, but she had _no _idea Jaune's dick had been… you know…

_'And is it still…?' _the red-head pondered, her cheeks reddening at the thought of how such a condition may actually be an _advantage _in certain situations_…_

Speculation for another day.

"At least he finally came _clean_," Ren hummed.

"Yeah, but at what _cost_?" Nora asked, referring to Jaune's near-total loss of dignity.

"Well… Look at it _this _way," Ruby said, still trying to follow what was going on. "At least there's nowhere to go but _up_," she said enthusiastically as her confusion-addled mind could allow.

"Pyrrha Nikos, right?" Nickie asked turning her attention to Pyrrha.

"Yes?"

"Can you make sure my not-as-much-of-an-idiot-as-I-thought brother gets this?" she asked gesturing to a large steamer trunk she'd been standing by the entire time. "They're his prized comics, so I figure, since he _apparently _won't be coming home any time soon," she said glancing up at Ozpin's tower, a scowl momentarily marring her pretty face, "he might as well have them here. Whether he sells them or keeps them, that's on him."

"Oh, ah, _sure_, I'll make sure he gets them."

"Good," the blond said with a nod. "I'll see you guys later, I guess," she shrugged, family heirloom in hand as she walked off, leaving her brother to beat his head against a tree for some unknown reason, and his confused and/or shell-shocked peers behind. "Take care!"

"So… What now?" Ruby asked.

"You wanna get a late breakfast?" Ren queried.

"Pancakes! Pancakeapalooza! Pancakeasaurus Rex! Pancake_SPLOSION_!" Nora whooped excitedly.

"Would you like _pancakes_, Nora?"

"How could you tell?" she asked with an adorable tilt of her head.

"Just a feeling," Ren hummed.

With everyone leaving the plaza, only two remained, finally finding a moment to themselves.

"Jaune… Jaune, are you okay?" Pyrrha asked touching his shoulder.

"You're… you're still _talking _to me?" Jaune asked as he turned away from the tree to face her, the blood on his face causing Pyrrha to wince even as the blond's Aura healed the wound.

"Yes, Jaune. I am," Pyrrha nodded. "I… I'm really proud of you. For finally telling the truth," Pyrrha said with a grateful smile, happy he didn't have to carry this burden anymore, and happy _she _no longer had to keep the truth hidden from everyone.

"Yeah, well, you know what they say. The truth will set you free," he sighed. _'Now I just have to hope that saying can be taken _literally_,' _he thought.

Even if _physically _he was perfectly fine, _mentally _he was completely exhausted, and he wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed until tomorrow morning.

And of course, it wasn't like he was going to be in any rush to see if he _still _had this time-looping ability, even if he _did _see the next sunrise.

"So… Do you want a _hand _with that, or…?"

"Oh, uh, no. Don't worry, I got this. You just go on and get breakfast. I'll meet up with you later," Jaune waved off.

"Oh, well, alright. I'll see you soon," Pyrrha said before walking off, leaving Jaune alone with his new quarry.

"Alright… Up we go! Nngh! Oof! Ugh!" Jaune grunted as he tried and failed to lift the trunk. "Ugh, with all the _bullshit _over the last month, I forgot how _heavy _this thing was."

"Hey there, friend."

"AUUGH!" Jaune yelped over his shoulder.

"You need a hand with that?" a familiar face asked.

One Jaune hoped _never _to get on the bad side of ever again.

Seriously, he thought _Jack's _"Rage Button" was bad, but _this _guy…?

It wasn't that Vincent was _more _terrifying than Jack when they were angry, it was the _contrast _that made it terrifying.

Compared to the guy that Jaune now-secretly suspected was _bipolar_, Jack was just terrifying _all _the time, but that watered down the experience whenever he peaked.

" . . . You know what, yeah, I could use a hand," Jaune acquiesced.

"Okey-dokey. Lead the way," Vincent said taking one handle and lifting it up, Jaune taking the other.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Following the deposit of his steamer trunk into his team's room, Jaune had one more stop to make before he even _contemplated _checking out for the day.

Making his way to what was colloquially known as "Ozpin's Tower", Jaune was quick to learn that word of his misdeeds had spread, as was evident by the myriad of looks he received. While a few looked on at him in pity, even sympathy, the bulk were scathing looks of scorn and loathing.

That every single one of them was completely _warranted _made Jaune think back to Nickie's words on his first runthrough. About how this sort of scorn and derision was the only way it could've ended.

It felt so _liberating _to get that weight off his chest, but before he could make that upward climb out of the "hole" he'd dug himself into, he had to get one very important question answered.

And the only person _to _answer it, would probably be the most-difficult person for someone like _him _to get a meeting with; especially after the way his reputation now tanked.

Stepping into the tower and making his way to the secretary's desk, hushed mutterings sounding around him as eyes began to fall on him anew, the blond letting out a tired sigh as he made his way to the desk.

"Excuse me-"

"Jaune Arc, right?"

"Um, yes-"

"The headmaster is expecting you. Please step into the express elevator," the secretary said without missing a beat, pointing toward an elevator whose red light switched to green, the doors opening.

Jaune, left flabbergasted by the development, could only numbly walk into the metal cube, wondering _why_ he'd been welcomed so-readily. For all intents and purposes, he should've been shown the door after news of his fraudulent transcripts had spread, yet he'd been welcomed in with seemingly open arms. The question he now had was 'Why?'

He guessed he'd get the answers to these questions and more soon enough.

The elevator making its swift journey skywards, Jaune felt his stomach sink, the elevator music a dull note in the background as his pulse pounded, his palms rife with sweat. The pit-sinking feeling of the express elevator softening, with a soft _***ding* **_Jaune found himself on the top floor, the green, gear-themed office of Ozpin Greene opening up before him.

"Um… Hello?"

"Hello, Jaune," Ozpin said as he spun his seat around, turning his back to the window as he steepled his fingers. "I believe you have questions?"

"Only _one_, actually…" Jaune admitted. " . . . _Why_?"

"Why, _what_?" Ozpin asked, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Why did you let me into Beacon? You _had _to have known those transcripts were fake. One phone call and my story would've fallen apart. So why did you let me stay?" the blond clarified.

"Mr. Arc… Why did you come to Beacon?"

"Come on, you _have _to know why, by now," Jaune groaned.

"I know. But I need to hear _you _say it. In-person."

"I… I came here to re-invent myself."

"I see… And do you honestly think you're the _only _person who came to Beacon for that reason? That you're the _first _to do so?"

"Well… _no_, but… I _lied_."

"Yes. You _did _lie. And despite that, I chose to let you say."

"Which brings me back to my original question. _Why _did you let me stay?"

"Because… I saw a little bit of myself in you," Ozpin answered. "I wasn't _born _a great warrior, but I wanted to help people. So… I took what I _was _good at, refined it, and…" he trailed off, venturing into the realm of nostalgia. "It was a lot of hard work and effort, but it paid off in the end. I guess I wanted the same for you. You weren't _always _walking this path, but now that you are… I guess I'm curious to see how far you'll go now that you've freed yourself from the weight of these sins you've committed," he said sagely. "I have tenure, so I can be selfish like that," he added humorously, a bit of mirth making its way into his tone.

" . . . Is it really that simple?"

"Well, there's a lot of abstract reasoning in there too, but I'm an old eccentric who lives in a clock tower and has an apparent coffee addiction. You'd be amazed how much leeway that gives me," he chuckled. "But in all honesty, though. I'm glad you finally came clean. For yourself, _and _your team. Now that you're through the worst of it, there's nowhere to go but up."

"Yeah… I'm just sorry it took so long," Jaune sighed. "Hey uh… Ozpin? Have you ever felt like… you've had to repeat a day over and over again until you got things right?"

"Hmmm… Can't say I have," the man replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Uh… no reason…" Jaune trailed off. _'He probably wouldn't believe me anyway.'_

"Oh, I think you'd be surprised what I'm willing to believe."

"Wha- Guh- Did you just read my _mind_?!"

"Minds are like books. They're easy to read if you know how."

"Well _that's_… infuriatingly cryptic," Jaune deadpanned.

"Hmhm, why thank you~"

_'_This _is my principal…' _Jaune realized aloud. " . . . Thank you for your time," he eventually said, washing his hands of that conversation and heading back to the dorm.

All he wanted was to lie down and go to sleep after a long day.

"Jaune. One more thing."

"Hm?"

"Don't be afraid of the mistakes you've made. I've made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on this planet. But at this moment, I would not consider your admission to Beacon's student body one of them. Do you intend to prove me wrong on that?"

"Yes. _I mean no_!" Jaune yelped. "I… I want to do better. At first I may've just wanted to escape what happened in high school, but watching everyone train, and struggle… I really _do _want to be a Huntsman now. For the _right _reasons, this time."

"Good," Ozpin nodded. "Oh, but when it comes to _secrets_…" He let that word hang in the air for a minute. "There's a fine line between the secrets you _can _keep, and the secrets you _have _to keep. I have my fair share of secrets too, but then again, _everyone _has secrets. The important thing is that you have to decide, 'Where do I draw the line in the sand?'" he asked rhetorically. "I'm not saying to share _everything _with _everyone_, but there _is _such a thing as 'too much information'."

"Right. I'll keep that in mind," Jaune nodded, scratching the back of his head. "Thank you again… For this second chance you've given me."

"More like _thirty_-second."

"Wait, what do you-"

And then the door closed.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Blinking blearily as he woke up the following morning, Jaune's heart suddenly stopped in his chest before he threw himself to the floor, hand pawing at the space beneath his bed. Finding nothing there, the blond hastily crawled to the foot of his bed, spotting a large steamer trunk that wasn't there the night before.

Scrambling over to it and throwing the lid open, his noisy approach rousing his teammates from their slumber, Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren blinked wearily as they watched Jaune frantically leaf through piles of plastic-wrapped X-Ray & Vav comics, eyeballs practically glued to each and every one as though he couldn't believe they were actually there.

"It's over… It's finally over…" Jaune muttered to himself giddily.

"Jaune… Jaune, what's the matter? Are you alright?" Pyrrha asked worriedly.

"I… hahahahaha… I've never been better…" Jaune chuckled with a semi-crazed look on his face. "It's over… It's finally over…" he repeated.

"What're you going _on _about over there?" Nora asked. "_What's _over?"

"I'll tell you later…" Jaune whimpered, as he pressed his face to the steamer trunk. "I'm just… _so _happy it's tomorrow…" he sighed wistfully, the others confusedly tilting their heads as Jaune continued to cry with a happy smile on his face.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**AN:  
In a way, this-ending was **_**more **_**satisfying to write than the "destroy-him-and-drop-him" approach I'd **_**initially **_**planned on approaching when writing this character arc out; moreso than I **_**thought **_**it'd be. Which is pretty surprising because **_**Canon **_**Jaune I dislike a great deal.**

**I'm still not "fine" with the way Jaune got into Beacon (in the Canon), and the way Jaune snapped at Oscar/Ozpin in ****Volume 6 Episode 8 "Dead End"**** for "lying", and asking whether or not they could "trust him", it was TOTALLY hypocritical because Jaune's _own _secret about never going to Combat School when he told everyone (including the Admissions Board) he did is even _worse _for the group; especially because everyone with him "watching their backs" assumes he's even _qualified _to do so when we can all agree, "he's not". All he is is some lucky idiot with a pulse that managed to wriggle his way through the very _selective _means which Beacon used to keep slackers like him out in the _first place_!**

**An example of why Jaune is _not _qualified to be a Huntsman (in Canon), let alone have anyone _rely _on him, would be back in Volume 4 Episode 1 where the height of Jaune's tactical ability was, and I quote, "we hit it, _harder_". Him having a Sword that turns into a slightly _larger _sword doesn't magically make him a competent warrior either, all it does is give him a bigger weapon he _still _has no idea how to use.**

**Add onto the fact that the only one in their immediate circle of friends who **_**knew **_**about that secret was Pyrrha, who **_**literally **_**took that secret to her grave, and you can understand why Jaune's hypocrisy pisses me the fuck off; even _before _he exploded at Oscar in Volume 6.**

**But admittedly, writing out the whole thing coming out into the open, coming around full-circle, and him growing **_**stronger **_**for it (going forward) is pretty damn satisfying; if only because I feel that, as an author/story-teller, I handled this part of his character arc **_**better **_**than the Canon did. There could've been this satisfying character-arc (pun not intended) about Jaune admitting to **_**everyone **_**what he admitted to Pyrrha, and all of them pitching together to help him overcome his own weakness, or him trying to _repair _his damaged reputation with his friends (like _will _have to happen in the Fanon), and that just… **_**never**_**, happens.**

**Obviously, Jaune's reputation took a hit after this, but it isn't **_**nearly **_**as bad as "Playthrough 1" where he was **_**completely **_**destroyed, so now, I can write in a less-antagonistic working relationship between him and Jack, at the very least.**

**So… If you like it or loath it, tell me what you think in the Reviews column. I mainly wrote this character arc because so-few people are **_**willing **_**to touch up on it.**

**Oh, and if anyone can guess the Inspiration for Jaune's backstory, I'll feel less stupid for trying to work that kind of joke/reference in.**

**As for Ozpin being "infuriatingly cryptic"… Interpret that as you will.**


	18. Club Sandwich

**Oblivious IJ: ***Bashes head against wall* So... close.

**NeoNazo356: **Yes, well, I always _could _take the "easy way out" and write Jaune out of the story entirely, but that just feels lazy. Also, even if it's misplaced, with how "unfocussed" RWBY has become, even if no-one on RoosterTeeth knows about this story, I want to at least _state _that Jaune's arc (pun not intended) _can _be concluded in a satisfying fashion, as opposed to the Canon where it was left as a "loose end" that never got tied up.  
Plus, if I can actually _inspire _writers to treat Jaune as anything _other _than a "flawless Messianic figure" for use in Power Fantasy or Wish Fulfillment-type stories, all the better.

**TM11: **Hm, not exactly what I was expecting. I still think Jaune got off lightly. I mean, yeah, he came clean, good for him. However, that doesn't change the fact that he lied, that he took away the opportunity to go to Beacon from another person and put in danger the peopel that that person would go on to save. It doesn't matter if his intentions were good or not, that he lied and caused all that trouble is still a problem. He should really be punished, and I mean really punished. I also don't like Ozpin's cavalier atittude to Jaune faking his way into Beacon, that speaks of favouritism and and bad administration.  
What I'm trying to say is that, had it been me, I would have sent Jaune back home and brought him back for next year when he could pass the exams on his own skill. That's me, though. This is your story, so you do what you think is best. I didn't really like how this went as of right now, but I still like this story, so I'll keep reading it.  
Keep up the good work.

**NeoNazo356: **Well, I always strive to be a bit unexpected. Keep things fresh.  
As for Jaune "getting off lightly", believe me, he _won't_. Unlike in the Canon where this whole hot mess gets swept under the rug (I suspect by "lazy writing"), in the _Fanon_, people will actually remember and _follow up _on this; like in _this chapter _for one. Ren has _suspected _and will _definitely _remember this sleight, as will Weiss since _Canonically _she was always under the assumption he'd _earned _his way into Beacon, _despite _his complete and utter ineptitude; the very reason why if this came to light in the Canon, Weiss would _never _become romantically involved with him. Blake, Yang, and Nora are largely nonplussed by this development, but Ruby feels _somewhat _betrayed, but not to the extent of Weiss. Jack actually _respects _Jaune, if-only in the sense that he came _clean _about something so-humiliating; he still _dislikes _Jaune, but that dislike has now developed a half-life. Like weapons-grade Uranium-237 isotope.  
Oh, and you can't discount the student _body's _reaction to this. Beacon is lauded up as a prestigious school, so of _course _this incident is going to cause a scandal. Especially amongst those who worked their _asses _off to get where Jaune lied his way into.  
Suffice it to say, he _will _be punished, and the faculty won't even have to lift a finger.  
As for Ozpin's "cavalier attitude", Canonically, he inducted Ruby into Beacon 2 years early, _explicitly _because of her Uncle (Qrow) who then-presently was a faithful agent of his agenda. For Jaune, at least in the _Fanon_, it was because he came from a prestigious family, and because Ozpin, during his time as _Ozma_, saw a bit of his _earliest _self in Jaune; the diamond-in-the-rough, crude and unpolished, but a little effort and that bitch can shine. Seriously, it would _only _take "one phonecall" to where Jaune _claimed _to have gone to school, for his entire charade to fall apart. All that being said, since Ozpin admits to making so many mistakes, and has continued to make more and more mistakes from that point in the Fanon, at the very least he _admits _he makes mistakes; even if he does absolutely nothing to _compensate _for those mistakes.  
It's rather obvious that in the Canon, Ozpin planned on eventually using Ruby to replace Summer in his ranks of "secret police", especially after Raven went AWOL after learning the truth. The difference is that in this _Fanon_, with someone astute and world-wise like Jack around, he can't risk doing something so-transparent, so he's trying to win Jack over to his side _first _with the only currency that really matters; political favors. In fact Jack _himself _states that having the most-influential man in Beacon owe him a favor or two is worth a little legwork, so at the very least they'll be able to meet in the middle, and since Jack was a _literal _"battle slave" (ala Jack Rakan (Negima) or Yondu (Marvel Cinematic Universe)), Ozpin knows to tread _carefully _with him.  
I hope that this lengthy explanation is _satisfying_, and look forward to continued, _detailed _Reviews in the future, because these are an utter _joy _to reply to; it shows that readers really _care _about events that happen in the story, and that it isn't simply being "consumed" with no thought about it being made.

**Blaze1992: **F**king Ozpin.

**NeoNazo356: **Like has been made obvious in the Canon, Ozpin _definitely _has his favorites. I think he's just been "spinning his wheels" so long with the whole Salem thing that he honestly wants everything to "stay the same" since he can't "move forward" or "pull back" in this _shadow war_…  
Something I hope to _change _in this Fanfic, many of which on this site tend to get re-drafted with each new Season, even when they actually had pretty unique twists to them.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Pyrrha, happy to see that Jaune had not only come clean to everyone, but somehow managed to pass through the entire ordeal without everyone on hers and Ruby's team _completely _reviling and rebuking him, was able to sleep soundly the previous night. It'd been a long time in coming, but Pyrrha hoped that this act of honesty would finally allow Jaune to start Beacon anew. Sure, the damage that'd been caused by his dishonesty in the interim was incredibly damaging, but now that the cat was out of the bag…

Hopefully Jaune could recover from the fallout of the whole affair and finally move on to become the person she _knew _he could become.; even _before_ she'd become infatuated with him.

No diamond was made without a bit of bevel and polish, after all.

Pyrrha, despite her "picture perfect" portrayal by the media, could become incredibly lax over the weekends. Like any other person, on Sundays she wanted nothing more than to "sleep in until noon" as it were, because the opportunity to do so would no longer present itself until the weekend to follow.

What eventually roused the red-head from her slumber however wasn't the usual and rather ironic _tiredness _of doing nothing, but muted grunting and the barest whiff of perspiration.

Cracking an eye open, if only to temper her sense of decency for the scenario that a more _lewd _part of her mind supplied, Pyrrha was both relieved and surprised to see that the source of the sound and smell wasn't… _that_… but was instead of Jaune clad in light clothes, muttering to himself under his breath as he did squats.

_"Ninety-five… Ninety-six… Ninety-seven… Ninety-eight… Ninety-nine… One… hundred," _the blond panted, a bit of a sweat worked up, limbs visibly trembling. _"Alright then… Now onto the ten-kilometer run…" _he sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Jaune?"

"Ah, Pyrrha, did I wake you?"

"No, no, I was beginning to wake up on my own," the red-head replied. "So… I see you were training."

"Yeah, well… I figured, now that the cat's out of the bag… if I actually want to _stay _here, I need to make the faith that others put in me _worth _it," Jaune returned, recalling the words that Ozpin had said to him.

Even the infuriatingly _cryptic _ones.

"That's good to hear," Pyrrha nodded, rising from bed and stretching her arms above her head. "I'm happy you finally came clean, despite certain_… damages_ to your reputation," she added a little uneasily.

"Yes, well, let's just say up until that point I'd had a _long _time to think things through," Jaune admitted, his left eye twitching as an episodic flashback of a skeleton-shaped Grimm ripping his guts out with its bare, bony hands, came to the forefront of his mind.

A moment later and it was repressed to the dark recesses of his mind.

"So how about you? _You _have any plans for today?"

"Would you mind me joining you for your run?"

"Sure, I don't mind," Jaune waved off, his nostrils flaring slightly. "Although… I'm kinda grimy, so I'll take a quick shower first."

"That's fine. It'll give me some time to freshen up," the red-head returned as she ran her fingers through her hair, in vain, to tame her bedhead with anything short of a good brushing. "That sound good to you?"

"Sure, sounds like a plan," Jaune nodded.

_***NEW WORLD***_

A quick shower for two (in separate showers) later, and "Arkos" as they'd later come to be called left their dorm building, clad in light jogging suits. With a Scroll App set to ping them when they hit the ten-kilometer mark, the two set off without any real destination in mind.

Though there were far from the usual amount of bodies out and about on Sunday, it was still very much like any other day at Beacon Academy, students from all walks of life and career paths milling about from one place to another, or simply hanging out. However, it was partway through their jog that Jaune's shoulders began to slump, his pace slowing.

"Jaune…?"

_"Look. It's _him_. The _faker_."_

At this, Jaune flinched away from the whispered remarks, Pyrrha turning her head to track the source.

After panning the grounds for a moment, Pyrrha found a trio of civilian students huddled together, textbooks under their arms, whispering in hushed tones.

_"I can't believe they let him _stay_."_

_"Guy _must've _bribed someone if he hasn't been kicked _out _yet."_

_"_I _sure as hell wouldn't trust him to protect anyone."_

_"Yeah. Guy can't even protect _himself._"_

"Jaune…"

"It's okay. I knew this sorta thing was coming," Jaune said in a resigned tone, shoulders still slumped as he continued jogging. "I just… I didn't know it'd hurt this much."

It was one thing to have someone resent you in secret, but to have _everyone _resent you, even the object of one's affections, was infinitely worse.

"Well… You know, it could _always _be worse," Pyrrha offered.

"_Tell _me about it…" Jaune groaned.

At least Weiss hadn't bitch-slapped him. That was _something _in his corner at least.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"That was… exhausting…" Jaune sighed as they made their way back into the dorms, the blond receiving scornful looks even _there _as they made their way up to the top floor. "In more ways than one."

"It'll get better," Pyrrha said putting a hand on her shoulder. "You just have to get some results and I'm _sure _everyone will accept you."

"I _sincerely _doubt that."

"Jack!?" the two of them yelped as they crested the top floor.

"Sup?"

"How long were you _standing _there?" Pyrrha asked.

"Long-enough," Jack shrugged. "So… How was your run? For the first _time_?"

"Exhausting."

"From the run, or the hateful _looks _sent your way?"

"Yes," Jaune sighed. "Am I… Are you still going to help _train _me?"

"Only if you _want _me to," the Faunus said glancing Pyrrha's way before turning his eyes back to Jaune. "Fair warning. I can be _very _spiteful, and I have _plenty _of ideas that'll whip you into shape."

"I don't doubt it," the blond sighed.

"Assuming you don't _croak_," the Faunus added nonchalantly.

" . . . Pyrrha, could I have a minute alone with him?"

"Of course," the red-head nodded, sending a worried look Jack's way only for the Faunus to wave her worries away. "After you're done, I'll see about getting the team together for some breakfast."

"I'd like that," Jaune nodded, watching Pyrrha leave until the door clicked shut, his attention turned back to the older Faunus. "Jack… I know that if _Nickie _had been the one to air my dirty laundry yesterday you would've dropped me like a hot potato," he began. "That you're still willing to put up with me… well… I appreciate it, and I promise to work harder than I ever have before."

At this, Jack could only pause, looking at Jaune with a completely neutral expression. " . . . What the hell _happened _to you before yesterday?"

"Uh… What?" Jaune asked after a moment.

"I mean, the day before yesterday you were an idiot Level 1 Swordsman, but then out of nowhere you roll Nat-20 for Wisdom. When'd you suddenly grow a pair, and how'd you even come _across_ 'em?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about! I've _always _been this wise!"

"_Liar_!" Jack snapped back, catching the stammer. "More-specifically, you're a _terrible _liar. Something _happened _between then and there and…"

A pause.

"You said you _knew _I'd drop you if Nickie'd been the one to air your dirty laundry," he said as his tone shifted. "Did you… get some kind of _time-_looping Semblance or something?"

"And what makes you think _that_?"

"Your explosive growth in wisdom was a little _too _explosive," Jack answered frankly. "I can understand you having a sudden epiphany, but even then, whatever epiphany you had to admitting about the seventy-year-old librarian and the broken penis was _way _too profound to be all-natural. That and, I've seen a _lot _of weird shit, so if you really _have _manifested some kind of time-looping Semblance, you need to _tell _me, otherwise you might 'wink' yourself out of existence one day."

" . . . And let's say I _did _get a time-looping Semblance out of stress…" he said neither confirming nor denying the allegations. "What would you do about it?"

"Well, _first _I would ask what _triggered _it; is it something you _consciously _did, is it _pain _related, or did you die and 'respawn' like something from a light novel?"

"Actually… I'm not sure if it was any _one _thing…" Jaune found himself admitting. Looking around to make sure no-one was listening, he crooked a finger to draw Jack in closer before whispering into his ear. _"The first time it happened, I'd just gone to bed wanting to die because I got the _'Bad _Ending'. A few times after that it was the same but after _that _I began looping back after _dying_."_

_"So then this Groundhog Day-type episode of yours isn't _consistent_…" _Jack hummed. _"In theory, time-altering Semblance are among the strongest Semblance out there, but their strength comes from the creativity of the user and the _consistency _of its Plasmological mechanics more than the Semblance itself. If what you're saying is true, then either your ability isn't as all-powerful as you think it is, or…"_

_"Or…? Or _what_?"_

_"It's possible that this epiphany you had may've caused a Semblance Shift, to the point that this 'Time Loop' ability isn't even your _Semblance _anymore."_

_"Semblance Shift… That's when a trauma or life-changing event causes your Semblance to change, right?"_

_"Yes, exactly right. And since there's no way to really _test _if you still have this 'Time Loop' ability other than waiting to see if it _happens _again… Maybe you shouldn't be so eager to die and _hope _you still have this ability."_

_"Yeah… That doesn't sound like something I'd want to 'stress test' either," _Jaune admitted.

While it _would _be great if he still had this time-looping Semblance, soul-crushing aside, it was explicitly _because _of that soul-crushing that he desperately hoped his personal growth turned his Semblance into something that _wouldn't _fracture his psyche into a million pieces.

And it really _wasn't _like he could 'stress test' his Semblance to see if it was still [Time Loop]. Sure, it'd be _great _if he could change the outcome of any given event, but if he had to _kill _himself to make that happen, if that wasn't his Semblance _anymore_…

Game Over.

"Jack… Time-looping abilities are the stuff of science _fiction_, so why're you giving me the time of day on this?"

"Like I said, I've seen a lot of weird shit," the Faunus waved off. "If you still _have _this time-looping ability, bully for you, you could save a lot of lives with it to make up for all the bullshit, but if you _don't _have it anymore… Like I said before, you shouldn't stress-test it and find out the _hard _way."

"Yeah, well _that _goes without saying," Jaune sighed. _'I _really _hope I unlock my Semblance soon. The not-knowing is _killing _me.'_

Even though he didn't have any _proof_, he had a 'gut feeling' that his time-looping days were well behind him. Though that just begged the question…

What _had _Jack seen that he even _contemplated _time-looping as a plausible explanation?

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Jaune." -was the blond's curt greeting upon returning to the room.

"Ren," the blond returned.

"_NORA_!" the ginger whooped.

"So… What happens now?" Jaune asked, realizing this was the first time he'd actively _spoken _with Ren since… the episode.

"I don't know," the raven-headed teen sighed. "I don't know _why _Ozpin's letting you stay if you really lied your way in, but that's _his _choice, and I'm just going to have to put up with it. What I _won't _put up with, is you putting mine or Nora's lives in danger because of _your _incompetence."

"Wow, Ren, just… twist the _knife _why don't ya."

"Don't _tempt _me, Arc. You're still in hot water as far as _I'm _concerned."

"Yeah, I mean have you _heard _the rumors about you?" Nora asked, her tone completely different from Jaune and Ren's conversation. "Let me tell ya, what people are saying about you… _Crayyyzeeeeeee_~"

"Do I even wanna know?" Jaune asked.

"You really don't," Ren shrugged. "You really don't."

"I'll just take your word for it."

"_Ironic_, since _your _word isn't good for anything at _all_."

"Ren!" Pyrrha chided.

"Pyrrha, don't try and pretend that everything's '_okay_'," Ren bit back. "Jaune _lied _to us. _All _of us… Or maybe not _all _of us," he said narrowing his eyes at her, the red-head wilting under his glare. "Pyrrha, if Ozpin insists on having the likes of _him _be our leader, then he needs to do a _very _good job, or else _I'm _gonna-"

"MUTINYYY!" Nora whooped.

"I was going to say 'write a very strongly-worded letter to the Hunter's Union', but 'mutiny' works too," Ren said lazily, causing Jaune to wilt.

"Look, Ren… I _know _I let you down but-"

"_I'm _not the one you let down. Everyone counting on _you _to save them are the ones that've been let down," Ren bit back.

Growing up in the Mistrali Frontier as he had, he'd heard plenty of horror stories of how entire villages would vanish almost over-night because over-hyped Huntsmen with no real skill to speak of were wrongfully tasked with ensuring the well-being of a given settlement. And Jaune reminded him a little too much of those sorts of stories.

"Look, Ren… This is out of my hands-"

"_Is _it?" Ren asked harshly. "_Who _says it's out of your hands? If you were concerned with anyone other than yourself, you'd pack your bags and go home right now, let someone even _remotely _qualified take over. Hell, _Jack _would be a _welcome _replacement to a liar like you," he bit out, Jaune flinching at the soft-spoken teen's words.

"He _is _right now you. If Jack took over, it's not like we'd have to change the _name _or anything," Nora nodded as she bounced on the bed; Jack replacing Jaune on the Team would still make it 'Team Juniper', just under new management.

"Nora… Is that _really _what you want?" Pyrrha asked, seeing a very _clear _divide amongst teammates.

The sorta thing that'd cause entire squads of Huntsmen to vanish in the Frontier, never to be seen again.

"I mean, _sure_, Jauney-boy getting his dick ripped off by a seventy-year-old librarian was a bit of a _shock_-"

_"It didn't get ripped off-"_

"-, but it isn't like we _all _don't have secrets. Some of us just had more-embarrassing secrets than others," the ginger said with an understanding look. "I say we give him another shot," she said turning to Ren.

" . . . Fine," the Mistrali teen conceded. "But he'd better not fuck up, because I'm _not _helping him out of whatever hole he digs for himself _next._"

"I guess that's about the best outcome I could hope for," Jaune sighed, extending his hand. "So… Friends?"

"Don't push your luck," Ren spat out as though the blond's hand were a venomous serpent.

"Ooh. Crash and _burn_, Jaune. Crash, and, _burn_," Nora winced.

"Well…" Pyrrha said nervously. "It could always be… _worse_?" she guessed.

"But not by much," Ren said getting the last word.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So…" Ruby began nervously, standing across from Team Juniper in the hallway.

"Hey…" Jaune returned just-as-awkwardly as he stood across from Team RWBBY.

"I… I _forgive _you for lying," the red-hooded girl said after a moment. "It's easier to forgive than to hold a grudge, and that you came clean about everything… It says a lot about your character."

"I'm glad _someone _feels that way," Jaune sighed. "Weiss-"

"Don't talk to me until I've cooled down," Weiss said angrily.

"Fair enough," the blond sighed.

"And don't you _dare _ask me out until you've ceased to be a liability to everyone around you," she said icily with narrowed eyes. _"Especially_ Pyrrha."

"Oof. Went straight for the _jugular_, huh, Weiss?" Yang asked with a wince.

"Yang, that sword he was swinging around like a blunt instrument was a priceless family _heirloom_, and more than that it belonged to someone _else_. As someone with a legacy to uphold, this hits very close to home, and I'm _very _disappointed in his conduct so don't you _dare _judge me," the heiress said with narrowed eyes.

"Yeah, well… You didn't have to be so _mean _about it," Ruby pouted.

"I think it's for the best that we air out any grievances we might have with one another," Ren interjected. "I think we _all _know the kind of damages keeping secrets from one another could cause if we left them to fester."

At this Blake flinched slightly, but her micro-expressions were hidden from her place behind Jack.

Jack… It was hard to know what was going through _his _mind.

"Talk Smack About _Jaune _Day? Heh, I'm already a _pro _at this," Jack chuckled.

Okay, so maybe _that _was what was going through his mind.

"Let's see… Blake, _you _have anything to say?"

"Not really. It isn't like _my _life's in his hands," the ravenette said plainly.

"Yang?"

"Well… Honestly, a _lot _of stuff makes sense now that I know about Broke-Dick-"

"Please don't call me that…" Jaune wilted.

He'd heard that, among other _less_-flattering nicknames, being made for him that morning.

"-but honestly, since I'm not all that close with him, I don't feel all that _betrayed_, personally," Yang said with a shrug.

"Glad to see _someone _feels that way," Jaune sighed.

"And as long as you don't put my baby _sis _in any danger, I won't have to… _finish the job_," she added ominously with a crack of her knuckles.

_'Yeah, that figures,' _Jaune thought morosely.

"So… Is that everyone?" Jack asked.

"I believe so," Pyrrha hummed. "Ren _really _laid into him earlier."

"As he very well _should_, as Nora's babysitter," Weiss huffed.

"_Nora _on the other hand didn't really seem to care," Ren sighed.

" . . . Makes sense," Yang shrugged. "Jack, _you _have anything to add?"

"Not right now," the Faunus shrugged. "That and that horse's already been beaten to death already," he added lazily.

"Well _that's _certainly an interesting change of pace," Nora hummed.

"Besides, now I have the rest of _Beacon _to do that _for _me," he tacked on.

" . . . Well _that's _certainly an interesting change of pace," Nora hummed, completely nonplussed.

"At least you're being honest," Jaune sighed.

"More than I can say for _some _people around here," Ren stated plainly.

"Wow . . . _Yikes_," Yang hissed, Team Juniper coming apart at the seams right in front of her.

_"Well… At least they're _speaking _to each other… Even if what they _do _have to say to one another isn't very nice," _Ruby sighed.

_"I still think they're being too soft on him," _Weiss stated.

_"Well, it _is _mission season. Give it a week and this problem could solve itself."_

_"Well _that's _rather cryptic," _Jack said turning Blake's way.

_"What? We were _all _thinking it. _Especially _you."_

_"_ _. . . Okay, you got me there," _Jack conceded.

"Guys… I'm right _here _you know," the inept blond wilted before them.

"Quiet, you. The _grownups _are talking," Ren cut in.

"Yeah!" Nora whooped.

_"Kill me…" _Jaune groaned.

"Later," Jack huffed like one would to a head in the fridge.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Is… Is it _always _going to be like this?" Jaune asked as the two teams made their way to the mess hall, passerby shooting him dirty looks and muttering under their breath.

"Well, you _did _tell a pretty big _lie_," Nora chirped with fingers interlaced behind her head, her strides high and exaggerated. "And I'm not talking a 'little _white _lie', I mean 'black as _pitch_' lie."

"Honestly, I'm surprised no-one's throwing rotten _fruit _at you," Ren hummed.

Fate succinctly tempted, a moment later Jaune received a rotten red projectile to the back of the head.

"Whoo! Headshot!" someone in the crowd whooped.

"Hey!" Pyrrha cried, causing the fruit-thrower to wince.

"Damn. I knew I'd put a standing bounty on your head, but I didn't think anyone'd cash in on it so _soon_."

"_JACK_?!" Jaune and Pyrrha gaped at him confusedly.

"Wait, _you _did this?" Ren asked, a mix of amusement and confusion in his tone.

"Technically, _that _guy did. All _I _did was offer a cash _prize _for it," the Faunus shrugged.

"Why would you _do _something like that!?" Pyrrha cried, her face flush with anger as Jaune scraped rotten tomato out of his hair.

"Because if _I _beaned him in the head with rotten fruit… _Jaune wouldn't get back _up_ again,"_ Jack whispered cryptically.

"Ooooooh~ _Ominous_~" Nora cooed fascinatedly.

"Hey Jack, I got him, so pay up," the guy who'd beaned Jaune said coming up to him.

"Sure. Here ya go."

"One Lien? What _gives_?"

"Read the rules, smart guy. Ten for a face-shot, anywhere _else _on his head with rotten fruit and you only get _one_, and you have to buy your weapon of choice from a pre-selected vendor," Jack said holding up his Scroll, a picture of Jaune's face beneath the word **BOUNTY** present on it, a set of rules and guidelines beneath that.

"Jack, doesn't this seem needlessly _cruel_?" Pyrrha asked with a huff.

"Oh trust me, if I had any less self-control than this, Jaune wouldn't even be _breathing _right now," Jack said with a twitching brow as the sullen student walked away. "And besides, Jaune can think of it as _training_."

"_Training_?!" Jaune asked incredulously.

"Yeah. '_Training_'," Jack repeated. "Attacks can come from anywhere at any time, so you've always gotta stay vigilant."

"SMAAASH!" Nora yelled as she pie'd Jaune in the face… with half a watermelon.

"FREE FOR AAAAAAAL!" an upperclassman suddenly cried out, a rotten grapefruit held in his hand, a deluge of rotten fruit screaming towards Jaune's head, the blond squealing like a pig as he bolted, scurrying beneath a nearby bench before running for the treeline.

"What the…?" Blake gawped as she observed the sheer pandemonium going on around them.

"Where's all this rotten fruit _coming _from?" Weiss similarly gaped. "Not that Jaune doesn't deserve this in _some _part, but _still_…"

"Oh that? I made a deal with the kitchen staff to set aside the castaway fruit that doesn't get eaten for this little… _training _exercise," Jack answered. "Since they don't have to pay _waste disposal _to take care of it all immediately, I actually come out of this making a pretty decent sum of money," he said with a wry smile.

"Jack. This is _cruel _and you _know it_!" Pyrrha said, putting her foot down as Jaune scurried into the canopy of a nearby tree to escape the assault of rotten produce.

" . . . "

Staring at her with a blank expression, Jack walked over to the vendor cart filled with rotten fruit that had gone unnoticed to Teams RWBY and JNPR until just-then. Grabbing a tomato and giving it an experimental toss in his hand, the Faunus drew his arm back and chucked the piece of rotten fruit at blinding speeds, the projectile screaming through the air before it took a baseball sized chunk out of the branch Jaune was sitting atop, the blond screaming as he fell haplessly to the ground in a heap.

"No. _That _would be cruel. If _I _was the one to hit him," Jack clarified. "Pyrrha, just because Ozpin won't punish Jaune for what he did, doesn't mean he should get off Scott Free. There are many people who believe Jaune should get _some _comeuppance for what he's done, and the way I see it, giving people an _avenue _through which to exercise their rage will stop them from taking more… _drastic _actions against him."

"Well when you put it like _that_, how can I say no?" Ren asked, a pleased smirk forming on his face as Jaune took a rotten grapefruit to the left cheek in slow motion, his face rippling like oobleck.

As an elderly, crotchety, shotgun-wielding soldier in red armor with an orange visor once said; Life finds a way.

"So what, you're trying to say this is actually _good _for him?" Pyrrha demanded.

"Hey, the sooner everyone gets this out of their system, the sooner Jaune can have _some _modicum of a normal school life," Jack waved off dismissively. "Instead of letting it steep and fester, I'm hitting the pressure relief valve while the gas is still high."

"So you really think everyone will get over this sooner if they partake in something like… _this_?" Weiss asked.

"I've seen it happen plenty of times in the past. A man gets put in the stockade and has fruit thrown at him, and as soon as he's out of the stocks, everyone's out of steam to hate the guy," Jack shrugged. "Trust me, this is for his, _and _his critics', own good."

"If you _say _so…" Yang said, still on the fence about the whole thing.

"So… Who's hungry?" Jack asked with an amicable smile a few moments later.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Jack… You… are a _roooooooyal _asshole!" Jaune panted as he rejoined the others at the food court, his hair steeped in every kind of fruit juice imaginable, his cheeks mottled with bruises, though no direct shots to his nose had been made.

"Yes, Jaune. Yes. I. Am," the Faunus said shamelessly.

" . . . Let's just get some damn food," Jaune grumbled as he walked inside, trailing in water from the dip in the fountain he'd taken.

"Look on the bright side, Jaune. As soon as you learn how to _dodge_, this won't be a _problem _for you anymore," Nora chirped happily, having gotten ten Lien from beaning Jaune in the face earlier.

Sure, it was at point-blank range, but it was _still _with fruit that she'd bought from a pre-aproved vendor.

"It _is _a 'training exercise' after all," Ren hummed, feeling somewhat vindicated.

"Don't worry. There isn't any money for anyone once you're _indoors_," Jack offered consolingly.

_***SPLAT!***_

"Of course, that doesn't mean people won't pelt you with rotten fruit for their _own _reasons," Jack chuckled as someone in the building shouted- _"Take _that_, faker!"_

_"Fraud!"_

_"Broke-Dick!"_

"Like I said. _'Vigilant',_" Jack nodded.

"Oh I'll stay _vigilant _all right... And I'll learn to dodge this just to _spite _you…!" Jaune bit out, a bit of vitrol in his tone.

"_That's _the spirit!" Nora whooped. "But until the fruit-flingin'-flurry continues, _let's eat_!"

"UWAUGH!" Jaune yelped as he dodged an apple. "HEY! That one wasn't rotten!"

"Which means you _really _must've pissed that guy off," Ren hummed.

"Hey Jack…?" Weiss began nervously.

"Yes, Weiss?"

"If I find this entertaining in some fashion… does that make me a bad person?"

"I don't think so."

"Okay. Just checking," the heiress nodded, satisfied with the Faunus' answer.

_***NEW WORLD***_

By some miracle, the two teams were able to get their food without any further fruit-flinging-related incident.

"Hey guys! Good morning!"

"Vincent, good morning!" Ruby greeted chipperly.

"So, what've _you _guys been up to? . . . What happened to _you?_" the odd-eyed teen reiterated as he turned to Jaune.

"Oh… you know… Just, reaping what I sow…" Jaune admitted, a strand of fruit-stained hair stuck to his forehead.

Hearing the whistle of an oddly-shaped projectile streaming through the air, Jaune ducked down to avoid a banana sailing through the air, Nora snatching it out of the air as it passed with a call of- "Thank you!"

"Oh, you mean the thing with your school papers?" Vincent asked with a tilt of his head as Jaune scrambled to keep his food on his tray.

"Yeah… That," Jaune sighed, rising back up to full height.

"Well, the important thing is you came clean of your own free will," Vincent said with a charming smile. "Oh, and the thing about your genitals… Don't feel so bad about it. I hang a little to the left too," he said innocently and without an iota of shame.

"That's not what happ-… Thank you. I appreciate the sentiment," Jaune conceded, deciding to take the win.

"Sooo… The RA's a _leftie_, huh, Blake~?" Yang asked as she ribbed the cat-like girl.

"Anyway, just because it's Sunday doesn't mean we should dally. Let's _eat_!" the RA said happily.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Sooo… Jack here put out a bounty on your head for people to hit you in the head with fruit, and you're supposed to dodge as part of your training?"

"That's right," Jaune nodded.

" . . . That's so thoughtful!" Vincent returned with a smile.

"YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT COMPLETELY!" Jaune yelped.

"Well, it's nice to see _someone's _so understanding," Jack chuckled, Pyrrha fuming off to the side.

The RA sufficiently brought up to speed on what his charges had going on, the group of nine partook their meal in silence. Sure, there was the occasional jeer directed Jaune's way, but apart from that nothing too eventful took place. To the bulk of RWBBY and JNPR, Vincent was still the "odd man out", the "tenth wheel" as it were, but slowly and steadily tthe gap between them was closing.

"Hey Vincent, you look like something heavy's on your mind. Penny for your thoughts?" Nora offered once the joviality on the odd-eye's visage faded.

"Well… It's just this _dream _I had the other night. Felt like it lasted a month _straight_."

"PFFFFFFFFFT!" Jaune spit-take, the girl sitting across from him dodging at the last possible second, rose petals scattered everywhere.

"Aaugh! Gross!" Ruby groaned as she shook droplets of milk out of her hair, before giving Jaune the most-irate, yet incredibly adorable, look she was able.

"When you say 'a month _straight_'…" Ren began.

"I mean it felt like I'd been reliving the same day over and over and _over _again for a month straight," he groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Then again, I guess that's what dreams are _for_. To waltz away from the real world," he hummed as he grabbed a spoonful of oatmeal. "Augh! Dammit, not again."

"What's wrong?" Nora asked.

"Damn _trick _spoon's _screwing _with me again," Vincent groaned as he held up his utensil, the thread bent 90 degrees just before the shoulder.

"Whoa, _really_? I didn't even know they _made _those!" the ginger awed, taking the spoon from his hand and turning it over in her hands.

"Yeah, me neither. And it's a real pain in my _keister_, let me tell ya," he groaned, zipping out of sight before dropping back in his seat, a fresh spoon in his hand as though he hadn't left at all. _Jack _for his credit only blinked, but the Faunus _swore _he recognized those high-speed movements from somewhere. "Gah! _Shizno_!" he swore as he raised the oatmeal to his lips, only for the spoon to defy him sustenance once again. "What the actual hell, did someone replace _all _the spoons with trick spoons or just the ones _I'm _using?" he groaned, zipping to and from the silverware kiosk once more, this time with a fistful of spoons instead of just one. "Gah! Are! You! Kidding! _Me_?!" he cried as trick spoons defied him in rapid succession, his platinum lochs alighting each time.

Jack _looked like _he wanted to say something to this, but he just decided to let it go.

Being everyone's exposition broker was becoming an enormous pain in the ass.

_'Sometimes it really _sucks _being the smartest guy in the room,' _the Faunus thought.

"I… don't see how a _spoon _can be rigged to _do _that," Blake began as she moved to return to her breakfast.

It took her only a moment to realize her fingertips only met empty air.

"Here, Vin. Try _this_," Yang said with a cheeky smile, a spoon in her extended fingertips.

"_WaitYangdon't-!"_

"Ah, _finally_," Vincent sighed, successfully wrapping his lips around the silverware and swallowing the contents. "Thanks, Yang," he said with a smile, digging into his oatmeal with gusto.

"No problem. Your gratitude is _reward _enough~" the blond purred as she glanced Blake's way, the ravenette red as a lobster and stammering- "I-n-d-i-r-e-c-t k-i-s-s." -over and over and over again in a jerky fashion like a robot with a busted voice module.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Thanks for the spoon, Yang. I thought I'd _never _get to my oatmeal at that rate," Vincent said at breakfast's end with a grateful smile.

"What can I say except 'you're welcome'~?" Yang sung aloud, Blake blushing up a storm off to the side.

"Oddness aside… What do we do _now_?" Weiss asked aloud.

"Well, there's always _club activities_," the RA offered.

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"You mean Ozpin didn't tell you yet? Now that your first month of schooling is out of the way, you now have the option to pursue extracurricular activities in whatever spare time you have," Vincent offered, the others going to their Scrolls.

"Hey, he's right. Must've come in during breakfast," Nora hummed.

"So… Do we get extra _credit _or not?" Yang asked, getting an elbow to the ribs from Weiss.

"Some more than others, I guess. For purely _recreational _stuff like the Movie Watchers' Club, you don't get extra credit, but for stuff that makes you more well-rounded like Cooking or Sniping-"

"Did you say _Sniping_?! Like a _Sniper's _Club!?" Ruby asked excitedly.

"Well, yes, I _did _say that, but… If you want to join the Sniper's Club you'll need a _spott… er…_" he trailed off as Ruby, Weisss in tow, vanished into the distance, a flurry of rose petals in their wake. " . . . Like I was saying, anything that makes you more well-rounded or looks good on your resume will be treated as extra credit," he said addressing those that were still there. "If you want more information, you can try the school website or the Rec Center."

"Waddya say, Jack? You wanna do something _together_?" Yang asked.

The moment she heard "Sniper Club", the blond just _knew _Weiss wasn't going to be available for anything else.

"Sure. Let's see what we find," Jack shrugged.

"To the Rec Center!" Nora whooped with an arm wrapped around Ren's neck, leading him away.

"Jaune," Pyrrha said getting his attention. "Do you want to find something to do together?"

"That… actually sounds pretty nice," Jaune nodded. "Sure. Let's see what's available."

"Incoming," Blake said plainly, Jaune yelping as he dodged, ducked, dipped, dove, and dodged away from rotten fruit sent his way.

"Wow, he's actually getting pretty _good _at that," Vincent awed as Jaune and Pyrrha fled from the fruit-flingers. "So… _You _going to join a club?" he asked turning to Blake. "I think there's a Book Club that'd be _great _for you."

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I prefer to read at my own pace," Blake returned. If the others _did _find club activities that worked for them, she could take advantage of that and find some solitude from all the unique personalities dominating her shared room.

"That's fair," the odd-eyed teen nodded. "You want me to walk you back?"

" . . . I don't see why not," Blake conceded with a small smile. Without Yang nearby to tease her relentlessly over it, the Faunus girl found it _much_ easier to be open with the odd-eyed teen. "So… Do _you _plan on joining any clubs?" she asked as they walked back to the dorms.

"Honestly…? I'm just trying to find out what I'm actually _good at_. What I want to _do _with my life," he conceded. "Sure, I could always join the Cooking Club, but if Wok ever found out I'd used my place at Beacon to do 'more of the same', he'd probably be quite _cross_ with me."

"So then you want to do something _different_?"

"Yeah. Different," he nodded. "There's a whole world out there for me to explore, so many things I could do with my life, so I might as well try as many of them as I can."

"That sounds like a lovely sentiment," Blake nodded. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

"Me too, Blake. Me too," Vincent said with a grateful smile.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Later, at the Beacon Recreational Center…

"WOW!" Nora awed as she stared at the end-to-end wall of corkboards covered in club-advertising posters. "There's so _many_!"

"Well, Beacon _is _an incredibly-large campus with enough rooms and staff to accommodate almost every occupation Vale has to offer, so it's a _given _there'd be this many clubs," Ren hummed as he looked the wall over; of course, if Nora decided the _two _of them would do something together… it'd just be easier to go with the flow.

"Yeah, but most of them seem a little self-indulgent," Jack sighed. "Ramen Appreciation Club… Sports Car Appreciation Club… Gourmet Appreciation Club… Wait, hold the phone…" he paused, rubbing his eyes as though he doubted what he was looking at. "A _Keijo _Appreciation Club?" he gaped visibly, eyes large and blinking. "How'd _that _get past the faculty screening?" he asked incredulously as he eyed a poster featuring a womanly side-silhouette within a circular emblem posed in such a way that her bust and buttocks were made doubly-prominent.

"Why? What's _Keijo_?" Yang asked, eyeing the poster as well, though unable to read the Japanese font decorating one of the sides.

"It's a rather _niche _gambling sport prevalent in the eastern parts of Mistral that's somewhat… _risqué _in nature…" Pyrrha admitted nervously, a dusting of pink on her cheeks. "It's a _water _sport, but it can get very… _fierce_."

" . . . Well _that_ doesn't tell me very much," Yang muttered.

"It's probably for the best you not dig into it. The Vale Council won't let Keijo air, even on pay-per-view, so there's a bit of a black market for it on certain circles. As far as I know," Ren stated plainly. "So I really _do _wonder how this passed Beacon's club screening process."

"Well, Ozpin _has _done weird stuff in the past. Between letting a fifteen-year-old or a complete failure into the Hunter Course, letting weirdo clubs into the extracurriculars isn't all that odd," Jack said shrugging his shoulders, Jaune wilting since it was obvious which of the two _he _was.

"Hey Ren, you think _I'd _be good at Keijo?" Nora asked hopefully, crossing her arms behind her head making her bosom more prominent.

"I don't think they actually _play _the sport, I think they just watch the matches," Ren answered.

"Awww…" the ginger whined.

"If nothing else works, I might just join. _Maybe_. Well, _soft _maybe," Jack hummed.

"Why? What's so special about Keijo?" Yang asked, rolling the unfamiliar word on her tongue once more.

"It's… hard to describe unless you see it in person. I'm not sure how much 'justice' a _recording _can do, but I think the higher-tier matches use 3D imaging so you can see the matches from all angles with VR… But I digress," Jack waved off.

"So then you _have _seen it before."

"Let's see what else Beacon has to offer," Jack said hitting the **Emergency Exit** button to that conversation.

The pairings of Jack and Yang, Nora and Ren, and Jaune and Pyrrha perused the wall of membership posters, intermingled amongst other students who mostly clustered together in their own cliques. Not _all _of the posters were placed with consideration in mind, some placed in such a way that they covered a quarter or half of another. Whether this was intentional sabotage or laziness had yet to be determined, but it seemed that _Nora _had certainly found what she'd wanted because twenty minutes into perusal she had grabbed Ren by the wrist and dragged him off.

"He has my sympathy," Jack said as Ren was whisked away by the syrup-powered ball of energy that was Nora Valkyrie. "What about _you _two?"

"Well… We could try _cooking_," Pyrrha said hopefully, directing Jaune's attention to one such poster, pictures of fine, mundane, exotic, and miscellaneous foods lining the edge of the flier.

"Well…" Jaune hummed. "If being a Huntsman _doesn't _work out-"

"Which it prob'ly won't."

"-then it'd be nice to have a backup plan," Jaune said as Pyrrha elbowed Jack in the ribs.

"What about you two? Would you like to join us?" Pyrrha asked, more to Yang than to Jack.

The fact that she was _only _looking at Yang made it all the more obvious.

"Eh… We've got all semester to decide. I'll take my time with this," Jack shrugged.

"Make sure to save us _leftovers_!" Yang said with a smile as she waved the two off.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhere on Beacon grounds…

"Ruby, where are you _taking _me?!" Weiss demanded as she was dragged along by the hand, even after Ruby had stopped by her weapons' locker.

"To the Sniper's Club, of course!" the red-head said excitedly.

"And you expect _me _to be your spotter?"

"Don't _you _want the Team to be able to snipe a Grimm from a mile away and finish missions with the least-expended energy possible?" Ruby asked, her clever young mind letting her say the words that would most-appeal to the heiress' long-advertised practical sensibilities.

" . . . Fine, I'll indulge you this _one time_," the heiress asserted. "Now _put me down_!"

"Right! Sorry!" she apologized. "So… I've got Crescie. What about you?"

"I don't _have _that kind of Scope on my person; I certainly never expected to play second-bananna to a girl with a gun fetish."

"I'm an _enthusiast_! Not a fetishist!"

"Coulda fooled _me_!"

"Hey um… Are you here for the Sniper's Club?" a voice cut in, Ruby and Weiss turning sidelong to see that they'd made their way to one of the overlooking cliffs at the edge of campus, a long firing range-like section of land cut out of the Emerald Forest to accommodate long-range firearms. Particularly of the extra-long-range variety.

"Oh look, we're _here _already," Ruby hummed, realizing they'd already reached their destination, a couple dozen other teams of Snipers and Spotters in attendance. It wasn't only Huntsman and Huntresses from other classes that were taking part, but Border Patrol and Wall Guards as well as those who aspired only to become Soldiers of Fortune.

In short, the highest number of Snipers and Spotters in one place Ruby had ever seen in one place.

"So, _you're _Ozzy's new pet project, huh?" a new voice spoke up to Ruby, the gathered pairs parting in reverence as a grizzled old sniper stepped through the crowd. "Name's Mordecai Sokolov. Nice to meet ya," he greeted lazily.

Mordecai was a rather slender man of unimpressive height with little real muscle to him, clad in a gray tight-fitting T-shirt, black cargo pants with an open-air ammo belt around his waist tucked into brown leather boots, a sleeveless dark-brown top dominating his torso with a red sash around his abdomen, dark brown leather gloves, with the majority of his face covered in a brown leather mask exposing the bottom half of his face and black pointed bead with a few dreadlochs spilling out the back, red-tinted goggles over his eyes. Dangling languidly from his right hand was a silver Jakobs revolver.

_'Ugh. This man _reeks_!' _Weiss gaped as her fingers went up to her nose, the man before her taking a large chug from a nondescript green bottle; aka, a liquid breakfast. _'Still_…_' _she hummed. _'Why do I feel like I've_ seen _this guy somewhere before?_'

_*Urp*_ "So… Had a _feelin' _you'd make your way here. My old drinking buddy _Qrow _said you fancied yourself a _sniper_."

"Yep!" Ruby replied, completely nonplussed by the very Qrow-like smell.

Even when the man had tried to sober up before his visits, her uncle still reeked of alcohol, despite his best efforts.

"Well _good for you_… but do you really think you can measure up to a _real _sniper?" the man asked smugly as he raised his left arm. Moments later a large falcon-like bird with white and gray plumage with long legs and leathery bat-like wings settled down to roost, squawking menacingly causing Weiss to yelp back while Ruby stood her ground.

"Oh I'll _show you_!" Ruby snapped back. "Pick a target, _any _target, and I'll hit it!"

"Well… At least you're _confident_," Mordecai said feeding the bat-like bird a scrap of meat from one of his pouches. "Let's start with something _easy_. Try to hit any of the targets at the 500 meter mark," he said jerking his thumb over his shoulder.

"Ha! _Easy_!" Ruby smirked as she unholstered her Crescent Rose, dropping the bipod and dropping on to the blanket a few feet away from the cliff's edge, angling out toward the target-riddled clearing in the distance. Getting the center of her chosen target in her sights, Ruby drew the trigger back with a confident pull of her finger.

_***BANG!***_

"Miss."

_***BANG!***_

"Miss."

_***BANG!***_

"Miss."

_***BANG!***_

"_Miiiss_."

_***BANG!***_

"Miss _again_…" Mordecai said lazily.

"What the-!" _***BANG!***_ "I'm aiming dead-center!" _***BANG!***_ "So why!?" _***BANG!* **_"CAN'T?!" _***BANG!* **_"I!?" _***BANG!* **_"HIT?!" _***BANG!* **_"ANY!?" _***BANG!* **_"THING?!" Ruby demanded as she fired shot after shot, only to miss all twelve shots.

It was only when her finger uselessly _***Click***_ed against the trigger that she realized everyone around her, sans Weiss, was laughing at her expense.

"What? What's so funny?!" Ruby demanded angrily.

"Kid… You really _don't _know how sniping works, _do_ you, little girl gray?" Mordecai asked condescendingly as he twirled his revolver in his hand, firing off six shots in rapid succession before discarding the spent casings, all the while chugging beer like it were water.

"Excellent work, sir. A flawless volley," one of the sniping students praised from behind his scope, eyeing six perfect center-shots at the farthest end of the range, well over a thousand meters away.

"Well, don't feel so bad, kid. There's a _reason _Qrow uses a shotgun; the guy's so wasted he could barely hit the broad side of a _barn_," Mordecai said with a belch as he emptied his anonymous bottle. "If you thought this was going to be easy extra credit… you've got another thing coming."

Ruby for her credit could only fume, while Weiss' eyes went wide with realization.

And not because Ruby was complete _rubbish _at using a sniper rifle at its intended distance.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Meanwhile, back at the Recreational Center…

"So… Anything catch your eye?" Yang asked, she and Jack still eyeing the wall of flyers.

"Not _particularly_," Jack stated, eyes roving the pinned-up sheets as well but inevitably drifting towards the Keijo poster.

"Well… We could always join the 'Stay in our Room' club," the blond suggested. "What do you have to say to _that_~?" she asked with a waggling brow.

"Let's give this a _little _more thought before jumping to conclusions."

"I know what _I _wanna jump~"

"Beh_aaave_…" Jack stated, his eyes never wavering. "Hm…? What's this?" he asked lifting two of the posters in the middle upward, revealing one hidden under_neath_. "Oh."

"You find something?"

"You tell me," Jack said pulling it free of its tacks and handing it over.

" . . . You think it could be a typo?" Yang asked after a moment.

"Maybe, maybe not. Only one way to find out," Jack shrugged. "You in?"

"_Heck _yeah!" Yang whooped with a pumped fist.

_***NEW WORLD***_

After another bout of dodging fruit from all sides, markably with less vitrol than the morning prior, Jaune and Pyrrha made their way into one of the buildings owned by the Cooking Course. Making their way to the room on the flier, the two's eyes went wide as they beheld a massive classroom as big as one of their own lecture halls, rows of cooking stations hewn in stainless steel glistening, dozens of students in pairs or cliques gathered up.

"Well, I doubt any of the fruit _here _will be rotten," Pyrrha nodded. "And it looks like we're just in time for the meeting," she said looking up at the wall clock.

"Buongiorno!" an ecstatic voice proclaimed from the front of the room, everyone's eyes turning to the front of the kitchen hall as a man of above-average height and medium build walked in, his light brown hair short and neat with a genial expression on his face. The man was clad in a chef's uniform; white double-breasted jacket, a loose red tie, a matching apron, and a tall cylindrical hat; his attire was further decorated by metallic golden **T** shaped emblems at the corners of his jacket and hat, while a badge-shaped pin with a **t**-shaped section cut out was pinned to the frontal hold of his hat. "I am happy to see so many new faces in attendance today. I am-"

"Tonio Trussardi…" Pyrrha spoke up, her eyes wide with awe. "Eight-Star gourmet chef and master of Italian, medicinal, and esoteric cooking, holding a degree in molecular gastronomy and able to use ordinary palm-reading to diagnose physical ailments as well as any physician…" she tacked off, all eyes falling on her as they realized who was in their midst. "Your antipasto recipe for salad with mozzarella cheese and tomatoes with your special dressing is…" _***Sluuurp* **_"…utterly _captivating_," she said visibly salivating, wiping the drool with the back of her hand before flushing beet-red at the realization she was openly drooling in front of a crowd.

"Ah, Ms. Nikos, so glad to see you hold my cooking in such high regard," the now-named Tonio said jovially in turn, aware of the girl's _own _fame. "Though I will say I'm quite surprised to see you here."

"Yes, well, Jaune and I thought we could broaden our horizons a little," Pyrrha answered, mutterings spreading through the crowd as recognition dawned on some of their faces at Jaune's presence, though if there was any malice, they certainly weren't _acting _on it.

"Well, I'm never one to turn away someone willing to learn," Tonio said with a kind smile. "I can't promise to impart all the knowledge available to those partaking in the cooking course, but I certainly don't intend to leave you inept in the kitchen. But _first_… WASH YOUR HANDS!" he roared, suddenly turning _quite _vicious if the spine-straightening was any indicator.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhere…

"This is nice, isn't it?"

"It sure is," Blake replied, enjoying the peace and quiet, book in hand.

Though it wasn't within her _own _room, Vincent's abode was a nice change of pace, the large couches allowing her to lounge in a way that her bed just couldn't provide; even with a fluffy pillow against the headboard.

And that wasn't to say that the company was by any means unpleasant either. If anything, the aloof teen reading across from her only made the ambiance and the tea he'd prepared for them all the better.

"I have to ask… What kind of books do you like to read?" Blake asked as she looked up from her camouflaged volume of NoL.

"Well… This is a little embarrassing to admit, but this 'Other World' genre just… _speaks _to me for some reason," he said peeking out from behind his own light novel with upturned eyes. "You must think I'm totally _weird_, don't you?" he asked meekly, Blake's face heating up from the combined gesture.

"N-Not at all. In fact, it kind of _suits _you," Blake replied kindly.

With how out-of-place Vincent was, it was almost like he _was _'from another world'.

Of course, the very notion of such a thing was complete nonsense.

At least as far as _she _was aware.

" . . . Hey… That dream you had last night," she said after another few minutes of silence. "What happened in it?"

"Oh… All _sorts _of stuff," he replied setting his book down. "I jump-kicked a couple guys in the face… Jack took an axe to Team Juniper's door… Jaune ran off the side of a cliff… All _sorts _of weirdness. To be _honest _though, most of it kinda blurred together, and all I have left is the _feeling _that I relived the same Saturday for a month straight. Weird, right?"

"Well, it's _your _dream, so…"

"Hey, what's _that _supposed to mean?" the odd-eyed teen pouted.

"N-Nothing! Don't worry about it!" Blake returned hastily.

" . . . Okay!" Vincent said with a bright smile, Blake sighing a sigh of relief.

The two returning to their reading, the silence was interrupted only by the sipping noises of tea, and the AC swirling around the various antiques decorating the room. The solitude growing a bit _lonely_, Blake found herself opening up to the RA once more.

"So… What do you think the deal was with all those 'trick spoons'?"

Before the odd-eyed teen could reply, there was a- _***Knock*Knock*Knock* **_-at the door.

"Excuse me for a moment," Vincent said before turning toward the door. "Who is it?"

_***NEW WORLD***_

Later that afternoon…

"Well look at that, the gang's back together again," Blake said cooly as at around the same time, three of the pairs from their clique reunited.

Nora, clad in a white and pink V-neck T-shirt, pink gym shorts with white stripes running down the sides, matching pink sweatbands, knee-high socks with pink stripes, and pink converse-style shoes with white laces, looked positively tickled pink, a light sheen of sweat on her body. Ren, clad in a more-masculine version of her attire with his own colors, looked rather _drained_, borderline emaciated as though he'd been "wring out" to the last drop and given no reprieve.

"Whoo! Worked up a _good sweat_!" Nora whooped ecstatically.

"Kill… meee…" Ren pleaded out-of-breath. "Don't let Jaune do it, he'll just screw it up and make me _immortal _or something," he then said more-articulately.

"I think I liked you better when you _didn't _talk so much," Jaune wilted.

Jaune and Pyrrha on the other hand looked pretty much unchanged from that morning; heck, Jaune even managed not to get totally drenched in _fruit _juice up to that point. The only thing off about them that Blake noticed was that their hands had been scrubbed completely clean to the point that their nails glistened as though polished, and bits of a white powdery residue was evident on their clothing.

"I'mmmmmmm saaaaaaad…" Ruby moaned.

"Yes, Ruby. You've made that _abundantly _clear to me," Weiss huffed, Blake turning her attention over to the two.

For the most part the two of them looked completely unchanged, aside from the fact that Ruby's personality had done a complete 180; for as-happy and peppy she _usually _was, _now_, she was equal amounts sad & depressed, looking as though her entire world had been crushed and turned upside down before her. Weiss on the other hand just looked _mentally _drained instead of emotionally, though by the creases in her clothing she'd been lying on her stomach for some time, further supported by her hands rubbing at her neck.

"I need a big sis huuuuuuug…" Ruby moaned, holding out her arms and waggling her hands expectantly.

"Well, it seems like she's kind of _absent_, so you'll have to make due with your partner," Blake said gesturing to the girl beside her, Ruby's arms wrapping around Weiss as a pitiable whine left her lips. Weiss for her part didn't protest too openly, since it actually would've been futile to do so with how-depressed the girl was.

"Hey come to think of it, _Jack's _missing as well," Nora hummed.

"Well, the two of them _could _have just gone off to the same club," Ren stated.

"That _is _a distinct possibility," Weiss nodded. "What about _you_, Blake? What did _you _do this morning?"

"I read a book at a friend's place," she returned noncommittally.

Without Yang's incessant teasing around it was actually much _easier _to admit as such.

"Where _did _our RA go?" Jaune asked, taking note of _his _absence if only for the fact that he'd swiftly forgiven him for what had transpired the day before.

"Some kind of _physical_, I'm guessing," Blake shrugged, since she didn't actually_ know_ Dr. Veronica's field of expertise.

Of course, if Dr. Veronica _had _said as such, it wasn't as though Blake were any position to pay _attention_…

"So… Ruby… What happened to _you _two?"

"I'm saaaaaaad…"

"Yes, as you've made us all aware. What I'm wondering is what _happened_."

"Ruby dragged me off to Sniper Club to be her _Spotter_, and… well…" Weiss paused. "Ruby actually _sucks _at being a proper sniper."

"You didn't have to put it like _thaaaaat_…" the red-head whined.

"But it's _true_, isn't it? I mean, who taught you how to snipe back at _Signal_? A _drunk_?"

" . . . I neither confirm nor _deny _that accusation," Ruby said after a moment.

"So Mr. Sokolov was _right_, then. You really _were _taught by a drunkard."

"Uncle Qrow isn't a 'drunkard', he's a social drinker… whooo just so happens to always be _social_," Ruby admitted awkwardly.

"Right…" the heiress sighed tiredly.

"So… How did things go with _you_?" Blake asked turning her attention to the social pariah.

"Well… Pyrrha… She is _not _the person we want on Kitchen Duty…" Jaune admitted _extremely _awkwardly.

"What makes you say that?" Blake asked.

"Well… She can burn _water_."

"Don't you mean _boil _water?" Weiss asked.

"No, I mean she literally _burns _water."

_***MINI-FLASHBACK***_

"Hey, Pyrrha. Can you get the water boiling for me?"

"Sure thing," the red-head nodded, filling the pot with water and setting it on the stove. Setting the corner unit to high, moments later a column of flame belched from the pot, almost singing the red-head's eyebrows.

"AAUUUGH! MY EYEBROWS!"

Unfortunately, someone _else _lost their eyebrows that day.

_***MINI-FLASHBACK END***_

"And then there was the incident with the _cheese grater_…"

_***MINI-FLASHBACK***_

Pyrrha, grating the cheese for their "Team Juniper Macaroni", suddenly screamed as fire belched out from the space the cheese used to be.

_***MINI-FLASHBACK END***_

"And then there was the time she grabbed some cold-cuts from the fridge for sandwiches."

_***MINI-FLASHBACK***_

Cold cuts in hand, Pyrrha closed the door with the necessary amount of force, and walked away.

A moment later and fire began to belch out from the ice-box underneath.

"Oh come on- How did that even _start_?!"

_***MINI-FLASHBACK END***_

"Yeah… I guess Pyrrha _does _do to kitchens what Jack does to regular people's couches," Nora nodded.

For those that don't get the joke… "Fuck yo couch."

"I'm sorry," Pyrrha wilted, an embarrassed flush on her face.

"Well… _I'm _certainly seeing you in a new light," Blake hummed.

"How the heck do you set _water _on fire? It's _water_!" Nora gawped before getting an elbow in the ribs. "It's like trying to set a _water _park on fire!"

"Well, technically you don't have to set the _whole _park on fire, just the _park _part," Ren stated jovially.

"By the way, what did _you two _get up to?" Blake asked. "You look _exhausted_."

"We got our _swoll _on!" Nora whooped pumping her arms. "Ren and I are gonna get sooo _bricc_!"

"Kill me…"

"Oh Ren, you're such a _kidder_!" Nora cackled as she slapped him across the back, the hitting the floor face-first a second later.

"Well _you're _clearly suffering. Why join Nora for whatever club she signed onto if it's making you so-miserable?" Weiss asked.

"Would _you _want to leave someone like Nora unsupervised with the general student populous?" Ren tiredly asked.

" . . . Fair point," Weiss shrugged.

"So… Where do you think Jack and _Yang_ are?" Blake asked, noticing their absence.

"I dunno. They went off to join a club at the same time _we _did, so they should've been done by now," Ruby hummed.

"Not unless they were otherwise… _preoccupied_~" Nora cooed playfully.

"What're you talking about?" Weiss asked tersely.

"I'm just _saying_…" she said with a cheeky grin. "With everyone out of the room, they would've had all the freedom they _needed _to explore their… interconnec_tivity~_"

"Are you insinuating that while the rest of us were seeking to better themselves the two of them might've been… fooling _about_?!"

"Fooling _around_."

"What?" Weiss asked turning Jaune's way.

"The expression is 'fooling _around_', not 'fooling _about_'," the blond argued.

"No, I _distinctly _remember that the expression is 'fooling about'."

"That's what you said about _'horse-_doodling_',_" Ruby argued.

"People say it _all the time_," Weiss snapped back.

"What people?"

"Oh, lots of people, all the time. But nobody _you _would know."

"Weiss, don't let Nora wind you up. Even if Jack and Weiss _had _been… 'exploring their interconnectivity'… I was down the hall from our room and would've heard them," Blake stated tensely.

"That reminds me… Where were _you _during all this today?" Nora asked waggling her brow.

"W-What?!" Blake gawped, finding the tables turned as all eyes fell on her, narrowed in scrutiny.

"_Yeah_, Blake. Where were _you _while all of us were out joining clubs? Who was this 'friend's' place you were _at, _huh?" Nora asked. "Were you hanging out with that ramen chef? The one with the _superpowers_?"

"You mean the RA?" Ren asked with a raised brow.

"Yes, but I was trying to be a bit more _subtle _than that," Nora pouted, hands on her hips.

"W-What does it _matter _if I hung out with him? All we did was read _books_!"

"Oh yeah?" Ruby asked with a raised brow. "What's his favorite _genre_?" she asked in an accusing tone.

"Isekai light novels."

" . . . _Oh_. Well… I wasn't _expecting _such a succinct response," Ruby admitted awkwardly.

"Like. I. _Said_," Blake bit out tensely. "All we were doing was _reading_."

"Really? But you had the whole floor to _yourselves_ probably," Nora said with a confused tilt of her head.

"Well, I'm sure we can get _his _side of the story _too_," Jaune hummed.

"And why is _that_?" Blake asked.

"Because he just came into the room behind you," he said pointing over her shoulder.

"WHAT?!" Blake yelped with a flushed face.

**To Be Continued…**


	19. World of Remnant: Airships

**Guest: **:I dont get the jaune bashing s*** and why he still hangs with jack it like a jew hanging out with hitler

**NeoNazo356: **Clearly, _someone _doesn't know the meaning of "nuance".  
As for why Jaune is hanging out with _Jack_, not that you're intelligent-enough to _understand_, but Jaune Canonically admits to having "stupid macho" tendencies, and with Jack around, he can't actually _see _that Pyrrha is willing to help him out in the same way as in the Canon; hence, he actively sought out Jack to train him since, given he _beat _Pyrrha in 1v1 combat, is then-associated in Jaune's mind with "strength", the very thing he wants to emulate.  
Of course, it's not like you're intelligent-enough to _understand _this kind of nuance, so I'll just move onto the next one.

**TM11: **Lol, I like Jaune's new "training", though I think Jack was bullshitting with his reasoning for it. He's just being the asshole that we all love to read about.  
I'm surprised, but pleased, with how you're making Ren act towards Jaune. Most people focus more on Jaune than Ren most of the time, which is sad, really. Ren has more potential as an MC than Jaune in my opinion. And in most fics I've read where Jaune comes clean, Ren is understanding and doesn't give him hell, which I think is bollocks. Just because Pyrrha did it, it doesn't mean that everyone in Team Juniper should forgive Jaune. And I still think Pyrrha is being biased towards him. She's letting her feelings cloud her judgement. Speaking about her and Jaune, I'm not really a fan of Arkos. I mean, I don't mind reading it and even writing it, but I really think they would work well together. A relationship, in my opinion, is about giving and I don't really see what Pyrrha can give Jaune besides training. Another thing is that they don't seem that much alike. If anything, my favourite pairing involving Jaune is Yang or Ruby. I can see Jaune and Blake work too, but that one seems a bit more forced.  
Now, Ruby being trash at snipping, I wasn't expecting. I think you're the first person to do that to her. Everyone assumes that, just because she has a sniper, she's a good at using it from a range. I admit to have assumed that too, but, I guess that's a fair assumption to make. Giving it more thought, I guess it is more plausible that she would be trash at it since, according to her words, she was trained by Qrow and he sure isn't a sniper. I think everyone just assumes that she learned how to snipe while at Signal, or that she's the genious that Ozpin makes her out to be. Few people really write Ruby as a younger girl swimming with the big fish and almost drowing, if you get my meaning.  
Now, what the hell is Keijo? And what kind of club did Jack and Yang go to? I'm really curious!

**NeoNazo356: **For the record, Jack was being _serious _about "vigilance"; if Jaune can't even dodge a fruit, how can he ever hope to dodge a lethal weapon? As for Jack being the "asshole that we all love to read about", given what Jaune did, any "assholery" is completely _warranted_. Something _some _people _*cough*cough* Guest Reviewer *cough* _aren't intelligent-enough to understand.  
As for Ren's reaction, it isn't only _his _life he's worried about, it's _Nora's _as well, and Jaune's incompetence puts them _both _in danger. Ren's backstory and lineage have been tweaked slightly (_including _Canon, not excluding it), so he's more-assertive than the "passive" versions of Ren who "don't give two shits" about Jaune lying about his credentials. And yes, I _do _believe Ren has more potential as an MC, hence why I've been flushing out his backstory a bit more.  
As for Ruby being "trash at sniping", recall if you will the events of Episode 1: Ruby Rose. When she was shooting at who we _now _know as Cinder, Ruby's "shot group" was all _over _the place! Sure, at close-range that sorta shoddy marksmanship would _fly_, but at _long _range, where a single heartbeat out-of-place can make a shot fly wide by a whole _foot_… you can see why I'd think Ruby isn't actually _versed _as a _proper _sniper. That Qrow is both a drunkard who wields a shotgun, and I _thought _Ruby's weapon was part-shotgun in the trailer because she _insisted _on using it at _POINT-BLANK RANGE_, and it all lines up together pretty well to come to this more-interesting conclusion. That and the fact that Qrow being a drunkard and Mordecai being a sniper while _also _being a drunkard let me blend elements of RWBY and the original Borderlands together _very _well.  
And yes, Ruby is _definitely _swimming with the "big fish"; doubly-so since she was abducted from Signal two whole years early meaning she's "under-cooked". This is especially-why her relationship with Jack is so important. Outside the brother/sister-vibe moments, Jack is world-wise like Qrow and cynical like Adam, so he's the sort of person that Ruby _needs _to give her the "reality check" that'll stop her from doing something completely stupid.  
Like ignoring the one-and-only entrance to an underground bunker where a comatose girl behind a pane of glass is utterly-and-completely-_vulnerable_.  
As for "Keijo", there's a rather _niche _sports manga by the same name, albeit with eight exclamation points, so you'll just have to look it up yourself. Mind you, it's a bit cringey at places, and super-cringey in others, but in a _good _way; it's a hoot and a half to read, though it's not for _everyone_. That, and one of the characters looks _eerily _like Yang, which is why the idea for the crossover "stuck".  
As to the kind of club that Jack and Yang went to… You'll have to wait until next-chapter.

**Skinnydude911: **This was a fun chapter. Can't believe you threw in a Keijo reference in there too with all the clubs, also I did enjoy all the different clubs they all checked out and loved the jojo reference (even if it was obscure for those who don't know the series).  
I can kind of imagine Jaune being a wiz in the kitchen and couldn't help but laugh at all the things Pyrrha set on fire by accident. The part with Ruby and the sniper club... that I didn't see coming but loved it. Ren keeping an eye on Nora in the club sounds about right with their relationship, I'm more surprised she didn't discover there was a pancake club. And now I wanna see what kind of club Jack and Yang went to visit.  
The part with Vincent being aware (albeit somewhat aware) of the groundhog's day time loop was clever too.  
Oh and here's a big thing here I forgot to do a review for for the last chapter, now that Jaune is weapon less in Beacon... will we see him try out new weapons to see which one is the best fit for him as a huntsman? And during that, I can honestly see him pulling a Kevin Hart in Ride Along when he tried a shotgun outside of a video game and gets launched back into a wall from the recoil.

**NeoNazo356: **Like I might've said before, part of the reason I made a Keijo! Cameo was because one of the characters looks _eerily _like Yang; and also lines up with yuri-centric character interpretations. The Jojo's Bizarre Adventure reference is also deeper than just a Cameo, but only if you know about Tonio's special ability.  
Pyrrha being the one to set everything on the kitchen on fire was because Canonically, she's a little "too perfect", and I figured it'd round out her character more if there was something she was _really _terrible at. Jaune being _great _in the kitchen on the other hand is a Kim Possible reference; read: gender archetype reversal ala "Two to Tutor". As for the Pancake Club, if she _did _join it, than pancakes any _other _time would be "less special", hence why she passed it up in lieu of something more… _physical_~ _Physical~ Let's get physical~  
_As for the club that Jack & Yang went to… just keep reading.  
Vincent being _aware _of the time-looping is due in _one _part to a hyper-sensitivity of his surroundings due to his soul getting the "burn & bleach" treatment. Part _two _is a passive reference to an IP near and dead to my heart; can you guess which one?  
As for Jaune's new weapon, I've already thought about that. I've _hinted _at what'll happen, but it's _very _subtle. As for the shotgun scene from Ride Along… that is _totally _something I wanna do now. Thanks for the suggestion!

_***NEW WORLD***_

Airships. Mighty vessels sailing through the heavens, freed from earthly tethers.

For generations, these gentle giants, and sometimes not-so-giants, and more-often _not-_so-gentle, had sailed the airways, sometimes with sails, sometimes without. Though the perils of the land and the sea had been abandoned by these mystic marvels, less-than-mystic as of late, the skies came with their _own _obstacles. Obstacles that Aeronaut's would spend generation after generation trying to surpass, adding their strength to that of the next generation.

The frigid cold of the night sky. The wrath of the angry heavens. The fury of those that shared the wild blue yonder. Every obstacle was inevitably met head-on, each new Aeronaut making their own entry into the epic saga of air travel.

This, is one such story.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Hey Jack."

"Yeah?"

"You ever wonder why we're here?"

"Ugh, not _this _again."

"Okay, fine, I'll ask a _different _question," Yang pouted. "Why'd you take that half-buried flier with you from the wall?"

"Why? Would you rather someone _else _find it?"

" . . . Touché," the blond nodded. "Still, if this really _is _legit and not just a typo… this could be a huge _boon _for us."

"Yeah, and take it from me. When you're stranded in the middle of nowhere with a dead pilot, not knowing how to get back into the air sucks _ass_."

"Wait, did that really _happen _to you before?!"

"With _alarming _regularity."

"Oof. That _bad_, huh?"

"Like you wouldn't believe."

"I think you _underestimate _just what I'm willing to believe," Yang pouted cutely, hands on her hips. "After all…" she muttered, her expression becoming more somber as her eyes drifted to his back. "You opened my eyes to the _truth_. The truth of what it really is I'll be fighting once I leave Beacon."

"Yeah, well, if all goes well, maybe I'll _join _you," Jack returned with a smile.

"What're you talking about? Of _course _you'll be joining me," Yang asserted. "You aren't allowed to die, not on _my _watch."

"Hahah… I'll keep that in mind," Jack chuckled. "Well… We're _here_," he said turning his attention to the Waterfall Hangar entrance, humble as ever. "Ladies first."

"Hmhm. Ever the gentleman," Yang giggled in turn, making their way into the depths of the cliff overlooking Vale in the distance. Their elevator ride concluded with little fanfare, the two stepped out into the cavernous hangar, airships coming and going like gentle giants. "Why d'you think they decided to make their hangar in _here_?" she wondered aloud.

"Well… an Airship is at its most-vulnerable when it's on the ground, especially by airborne Grimm able to slip by sentries that never look _up_, so when you stop to think about it, a cave hangar is actually pretty well thought-out," Jack hummed. "Plus, with so much rock between this hangar and the open air, it's not like another country could _bomb _this place. If they wanted to attack the ships in drydock, they'd have to go straight down the throat, and I'm pretty sure _those_, are the anti-air defenses," he said pointing to a large pair of AA cannons mounted on opposite ends of the hangar opening, pointing outward.

"So I take it you've been around an airship or two in your day?"

"Hey, time is money, and airships save a _lot _of it if you hitch a ride on a shipping vessel you can hop out of mid-flight. Of course… it _does _help if you have a proper _'landing strategy'. _Not just _anyone _can make use of airborne assault tactics."

"So wait, you've hopped out of airships before? For your _bounty _hunting work?"

"Well, _sometimes_…" Jack shrugged, thinking back to the times where the White Fang would commence bombing raids on CoM slaver camps; where _he _was the bomb. "That and sometimes it's just cheaper to charter for a fly-by than a full out landing. Sure, VTOLs can go up and down in tight spaces, but going wheels-down in Grimm-infested woods is the cause of half the airships that wind up going missing. _That's why Aeronauts sneak in _surcharges _for that sorta thing,_" he whispered conspiratorially.

"Wait, for _real_?!"

"Yes."

"For _real _for real!?"

"Yes, Yang! They really _do _that!"

"Oh… Well, _damn_."

"Yeah. Damn."

"So…" she hummed as she looked at the flier they'd absconded with earlier, the words **Flight Club **plastered across the top along with details. "You really think this is legit?"

"Well, with all the little _airships _plastered all over it, I can hardly imagine it meaning anything _else_."

"Uh huh… Uh huh… Any last-minute advice?" Yang asked as they reached the necessary tier of the hangar.

"Yeah. Whatever you do, do _not_ 'floor it'."

"I take it that's a common mistake made?"

"With _alarming _regularity."

"A lot of stuff seems to happen to you with 'alarming regularity', doesn't it?"

"Only when you 'get out' as much as _I _do… Which admittedly had _less _regularity once I settled down."

A minute later and the two had arrived at their destination; southern wing, top tier of three, second-closest to the mouth of the cavernous hangar.

"So… You think this is the one?" Yang asked as they looked at a D77-TC Pelican sitting atop a large turntable.

"Well, it has the 'Bomb's Away' decal on the side like the flier said there would be, so I think it's a pretty safe guess that this is the one," he said looking at the side of the Pelican to the right of the cockpit window; sprayed across it was the image of a woman in yellow tight-fitting pants with white sneakers, a leather aviator's jacket, brown gloves, and an orange visor, her hair a spiky dark-brown and a blue contrail spilling off of her back like a cape reading **Bomb's Away**.

"Should we… just go on in?" Yang asked after a moment.

"Cargo bay _door's _open. As good an invite as any," Jack shrugged, the two walking up the cargo ramp and into the "blood tray". "Hello? We're here for _Flight Club_!"

"_Finally_. About _time _someone showed up," a voice said from the cockpit in an accent Yang recognized. "Be out in a second."

"Well… _She _sounds nice," Jack nodded after a moment, the pilot stepping out a moment later.

"Hey! I remember you! You were our pilot when Jack went _nuts_, right?" Yang asked.

"For the record, I'm right here," Jack stated.

"Oh yeah, I remember you. You're the girl with the gun-bracelets," the pilot replied. Obviously the decal on the side of the airship was meant to be her, though at the moment her attire was a standard "Beacon green" flightsuit. Her hair was just-as-spiky as the decal portrayed, her skin fair, and though you could hardly tell by the unflattering clothes, she had legs "for days". "Name's Lena Oxton, but my callsign's Tracer. Nice to meetcha!"

"Wow! Small world, _huh_?" Yang asked with a smile.

"Sure is!" Lena replied with a smile. "Say, did you happen to see anyone _else _coming to Flight Club on the way here? You're the first to show up, but I can't wait for too-long before wheels-up."

"Well… When we found your poster, it was kinda… _buried _under all the others," Yang admitted awkwardly.

"Agh, _bullocks_!" the pilot swore under her breath. "Whatever 'appened to common curt'sy?"

"I know, _right_?" Yang asked exasperatedly, guiltily tucking the folded-up poster deeper into Jack's back pocket.

As good an excuse to cop a feel as _any._

_Jack _certainly didn't seem to mind.

"Well… Lemme give you two a tour a the cockpit, and if no-one shows up quick, we'll just have to wheels-up without 'em," Lena sighed, ushering the two of them towards the front. "This right here's the pilot chair; flight instruments are up front. Copilot seat would've been for the gunner 'fore she got retrofitted; now she's for radio and-of-course, the wingman."

"So does it take two to tango?" Yang asked.

"Not _really_, but it always helps. Most _anything _can 'appen once you're off the ground," the ace pilot replied. "Most'a the time I do quick in'n'outs, but fate has a way of makin' things turn _pear_-shaped."

"Hope for the best, plan for the worst?"

"Right-o!" Lena nodded Jack's way. "Ah, but before we b'gin…" she said looking down at her watch, sighing that no other students were turning up. "We're gonna be spendin' a lotta time in the air, ferryin' supplies, movin' the injured on the Frontier, patrollin' for Sky Pirates…"

"Wait, you mean those are _real_? I though those were just from the old _movies_," Yang gawped.

"Oh trust me luv, they're quite _real_, and if they get a good _look _at ya, well…" she trailed off. "Anyway, the two a' ya seem pretty close, so I'm only gonna say this _once_. First rule of Flight Club-"

"Don't _talk _about Flight Club?" Yang giggled.

"Club hours ain't no x'cuse to knock _boots_, do I don't want ya thinkin' of usin' _my _craft to join the 'Mile-High Club', you understand me-"

"Oh Lenaaaaa~" a feminine voice purred from the back of the Pelican. "I'm ready for our weekly meeting for the Mile-High Club~"

_"Emily! Not now!" _Lena hissed, making a slashing motion at her throat with her hand through the open door.

"Hey, c'mon now, don't be such a prude. You _never _pass up the chance for a good snogging-"

Stepping into the cockpit was a very pretty woman with auburn-colored hair going past her shoulders. Her skin was lightly tanned, her eyes a dark shade of brown, and her attire consisting of what appeared to be a rather _provocative _take on a flight attendant's outfit. With a flutter of her eyelashes and a sway in her step, it was obvious what she'd come there for; at least if her _dialogue _didn't make it clear-enough.

Of course, all sensuality on her visage shattered when she realized the two of them weren't alone.

Not in the kinky _fun _way at least.

"Sooooo, Lena. What was that you were saying? About this not being an excuse to join the Mile-High Club?" Yang asked with a waggling eyebrow, Emily flushing bright red in the background as she buttoned up her shirt, a look of shame plain upon her face.

"Um… Er… Please don't tell Ozzy about this," Lena pleaded in an embarrassed tone.

"Don't worry, Jack and I aren't _nearly _at that point in our relationship," Yang said holding up her hands. "Of course, if you don't want me running my gob at mess 'all t'night," she said in a poor rendition of Lena's cockney British accent, "you and Emily here won't mind chaperoning for if the two of us _do _want to charter a course for the Mile-High Club."

"Are you _blackmailing _me?!" Lena gaped.

"Nope. I'm just saying I'll tell people things you don't want publicly consumed unless you agree to do something for me in the _future_. It only counts as 'blackmail' if you're being forced to do something in the _present_," Yang said haughtily.

"I'm pretty sure that's still blackmailing," Emily huffed.

"Blackmail's such an _ugly _word~" Yang hummed.

"And neither of us really care that you have 'scrapbooking clambakes' when you do your sweeps of the area. Yang and I just came here to learn how to fly," Jack stated with crossed arms. "Future services rendered… is just the icing on top~"

"You got _that _right~" Yang said high-fiving Jack, Lena groaning as she held her face in her hands, Emily blushing a storm over in the corner. "Still, I _am _a bit concerned about there not being any _chin _gun on this bird," she said adopting a more-serious tone.

"Oh don't worry, this baby's rigged for speed. Every second _counts_, and if things go south, Lena can whoop any Sky Pirates with her _time-_hopping Semblance," Emily said proudly.

"_Time-_hopping?" Yang asked, whereas _Jack _grew intrigued.

"Well, not _actual _time-hopping. More like… I'm a skippin' needle on an old _vinyl_," Lena stated bashfully. "Mum said I got it from me _gramps_, but I ain't too _sure _about that."

"Who's your old man's old man?" Yang asked.

"It's not important," Lena said curtly, an edge in her tone that made Yang flinch. "Anywho, seeing as how no-one's shown up, how bout we wheels-up and I give you the intro_ductory _course?"

_***NEW WORLD***_

With Emily sitting embarrassingly in the Blood Tray, Yang sat beside Lena as she ran an instrument-check with commentary, Jack standing nearby grasping an overhead handle. Once the function of each gauge was explained to them, Lena began their taxi toward the exit.

"I've been meaning to ask… How are airships without balloons full of lighter-than-air gas able to actually, you know… _fly_?!" Yang questioned as the Pelican listed leisurely backwards a yard above its tier, rotating on its Y-axis before listing out the hangar entrance.

"Well, in the _old _days, lighter-than-air gasses were the _only _way to get something off the ground. Back then, airships were usually just boats with high-powered internal combustion engines providing the necessary thrust once they were out of the water for the most-part. However, with the advent of Dust-Tech in recent decades, if you apply a negative current to Purple Dust, you're able to 'tweak' the laws of gravity, nullifying the weight of the craft almost-completely," Lena explained. "The most _rudimentary _form of this principle, back after the Great War, was to have a single _giant _chunk of Purple Dust actually _suspending _the ship from within."

"Like a hot air balloon in reverse?"

"I guess you could see it like that," Lena nodded. "Of course, the problem with _that _design was if you gave it too much power too quickly, like if you tried to ascend too quickly or pull out of a dive too fast, you'd wind up launching your 'Lift Crystal' through the roof _altogether_, sending the rest of the airship plummeting to the ground while a negatively-charged Dust crystal was getting a one-way trip to the _moon_."

"Ooh. Yikes," Yang winced.

"Not only was this unsafe if the netting started to fray or the brackets weren't properly fastened, but finding 'Lift Crystals' in that size grew harder and harder. Had it not been figured out that you could get the same result by scattering loads of _smaller _'Lift Crystals' throughout the ship's frame, a whole new _war _could've started over it," Lena went on to explain. "However, because all of the Purple Dust in the ship's framework has to be charged simultaneously, so as to prevent a spinout if too many 'Nodes' one one side were to wink out, proper insulation is a _must_. While it only takes one or two people to actually _fly _an airship of this size, it's only through the efforts of the crew both on the ground and in the tower, that these airships are able to get off the ground at _all_."

"So then it's like… everyone who worked on your ship is flying with you in _spirit_?"

"Exactly!" Lena said with a bright smile. "Alright, luvs, we're going to making a quick supply run to a village up north, so after a quick pick-up from Vale, we're going to really be _bookin_'."

"Cool. _Road _trip," Yang nodded snapping her Aviators onto her face, seeing the walled city of Vale coming up in the distance.

_***NEW WORLD***_

The airship sailing through the air towards the Commercial District, Yang became privy to the fact that without any head or crosswinds, an airship of that size could "sail" in a single direction almost indefinitely; especially with a favorable tailwind pushing from the rear. Albeit, the word "almost" was a stretch since air resistance would still cause a ship to slow, regardless of whether or not gravity was a _factor_. For the _larger _airships, a near-constant pulsing of the engines was required to keep them from listing horrendously off-course, as every unnecessary expenditure of fuel in course-correction cost both time and money.

"Hey, since Airships used to hang from blimps, why not put _sails _on top of them? You know, catch the _wind_?" Yang asked.

"Actually, Mistral has the market on sail-aided ships covered. Because wind blowing against mountains and cliffs tends to go up, the sails were actually implemented as a cost-saving measure to reach the settlements up in the mountains and plateaus," Lena answered. "The boat-like shapes let them cut through air like boats through water, of course… without an adequate engine onboard, if the winds aren't in your favor, you could wind up dead in the water. Figuratively speaking."

"Right. And ultimately in those circumstances, you have to choose which is worse; having Grimm able to attack you from every direction but you can see them coming from a mile away, or having Grimm able to attack you from every direction but down in-most-cases and _not _being able to see them coming," Jack added. "And it's not like you can just take an _oar _out and _paddle _your way home, so that's one advantage boats have over airships."

"Wow, there's a lot of _nuance _to airships, huh?" Yang asked.

"Yeah, and each Kingdom has their own style on what they value most in terms of design sensibilities," Lena replied. "Mistral tends to be eco-friendly with their sail-based designs and electrically-driven turboprops, which results in less Grimm attacks because they 'ave a smaller _'profile'_. However, without heavy armor they can't hold out in a protracted battle when they _do _catch the beasties' attention. The bulk of the Mistrali fleet consists of Second Generation ships falling within the Scout, Shuttle, and Patrol archetypes, and with an abundance of wood they're real pretty ta look at, though the majority of their commerce is still done by sea."

"Second Generation?" Yang asked with a tilt of her head, sensing the capital letters in that statement.

"Airships are organized by the means they use to get off the ground," Jack answered. "Airships that use massive bladders filled with lighter-than-air gasses are First Generation; obviously, the very first Airships ever created once people found out you could get off the ground without 'insta-killing' yourself. These tended to use steam, coal, and internal combustion engines. Airships reliant on a single large 'Lift Crystal' to get off the ground after the advent of electrical engineering are Second Generation. Steam and coal-driven engines were largely outmoded on _these _since turboprop and turbine engines were getting better and better; that and you weren't holding up an enormous _weak-point _over your head."

"So then _this _would be a Third-Gen?" Yang asked looking at the readout on the 'Lift Nodes' scattered through the Pelican's frame.

"Yes. Without a single point of failure, Third-Gen ships became more and more appealing, though the cost associated with their upkeep means that Second-Gens won't be vanishing from the sky any time soon," Lena answered. "And of course, _Vacuo _is really fond of their First Generation ships, though they've upgraded the engines they've used over the years. The Vacuan fleet has quite a few Yacths shelled out each year because they know how to cater to people's wants and needs, though they have a decent concentration of Bombers, Gunships, and Freighters as well. They don't have that many trees there, so Vacuo tends to use metal most of the time, and because they save every bit they can, any ship that can't fly anymore is stripped for parts which get Frankenstein'd onto _other _vessels whose shipwrights fancy a trip through The Boneyards."

"And on the opposite end of the spectrum, the Atlesian Fleet is almost _exclusively _Third-Gen. Yachts, Bombers, Scouts, Transports, Shuttles, Gunships, Freighters, and Capital Ships. It also helps that they're on the forefront of Dust-Tech, and it'd be _impossible _for any other Kingdom to keep that many Third-Gens afloat, what with Atlas keeping the best tech for themselves until they're ready to sell their castoffs at a marked-up price. Also, with their military backing the SDC, the Atlesian Fleet has a chokehold on all the _choice _Dust in circulation, while once-again everyone else is left with the castoffs as more and more companies are pushed out of the market as the SDC spreads like _herpes_," Jack remarked with equal parts admiration and spite. "Design-wise they tend to go with lots of armor, powerful engines, and point-defense cannons, all of which tend to be top-of-the-line for those that can _afford _it. Of course… because all their tech is so bleeding-edge, they tend to underestimate any ship that isn't theirs, and they're doubly-vulnerable to sabotage because they're almost entirely digital. Hell, one well-crafted computer virus could knock an Atlesian Capital Ship right out of the _sky_. Or _hell_, some spiteful bastard out there might cook up a way to make them shoot _each other_."

"What about Vale? What do _we _got?" Yang asked.

"Well, as the center of trade and commerce between the other Kingdoms, the Valian Fleet has the largest concentration of Transport and Freighter vessels out of the Four Kingdoms since Vale tends to send Airships in all directions. We've got our fair mix of Scouting Vessels, Shuttles, and Gunships too, and since we're a bit of a melting pot of cultures, you'll see everything from First through Third-Gen in our skies," Lena answered. "Of course, because of the stigma against First-Gen Airships after the _one ship _filled with _Hydrogen _of all things 'appened to go up in flames where everyone could see it, you won't actually see many Firsts above Vale _proper_. They're usually redirected to the surrounding towns instead of the capital, though Beacon _can _accommodate them in emergencies."

"Which reminds me, have you ever _seen _the Hindenburg footage?" Jack queried. "Just, absolutely _breathtaking… _until you realize everyone's completely screwed."

"I… think I'll _pass_," Yang shuddered. "Looks like we're coming in for a landing."

"Well, I _am _the one _flying _this thing, so I do _know _that," Lena said with a flat look as they came in for a descent at a large shipping company, a small airfield for small-sized vessels on the roof while anything bigger was mitigated to the lot in the back. "If you want you can help out. The sooner we get loaded up, the sooner we can be back in the air."

_***NEW WORLD***_

Between Jack and Yang's own monstrous strengths, Lena's vessel was back in the air in record time and outstanding form, set to reach their destination well ahead of schedule.

"So… Where're we going?" Yang asked.

"A little hamlet on the other side of the Foreverfall Forest," Lena answered as she turned away from the controls, the vessel flying on its robust autopilot. "If a village can make it ten years without being completely wiped out, the Kingdom will recognize it as a fully-formed settlement. Most of the travelling nomads tend to settle in the middle of nowhere around a massive natural resource cashe, but the people at Amber Creek were some of the _smart _ones that put down roots with a few of the other towns _relatively_ nearby. They're not entirely self-sufficient, but the goods they make with the Red Sap they get from the Foreverfall Forest let them trade for the essentials in the competitive market."

"They got a wall?"

"And a few auto-turrets. The Ironclad Guild is always happy to help where they can, since the best and the brightest of us can come from just about _anywhere_," Lena nodded. "Necessity is the mother of invention, after all."

"Makes sense. If entire villages can go up in smoke overnight, it's actually quite prudent to play 'the long game'," Jack hummed aloud. "And you're right, the best and brightest of us _can _come from just about anywhere. Which has me wonder, where are _you _from?" he asked; it didn't take a genius to see that the aviator could make a Pelican 'dance' through the sky in ways few could.

"Middle 'a nowhere. My parents tried to settle outside the Kingdom… Didn't make it."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it, I'm over it for the most-part. I'm a little miffed at my gramps for passing us over for the more-important towns when an economic downturn or some such caused the Grimm to get all ant'sy, but now I understand… it was one of those impossible choices people in power have to make," Lena sighed tiredly, a morose look coming over her features.

" . . . You know what? I think you could use a good snogging," Jack stated, causing Yang to sputter and Lena to turn red in the face, Jack continuing before she could speak up- "Why don't you keep Emily company for a bit? I can man the controls while you… decompress," he offered, causing Lena's anger to deflate from what she'd _assumed _was a come-on but was actually an accommodative gesture..

" . . . Okay. But no _peeping_," Lena said sternly.

"I'll only have eyes _forward_," Jack said holding up his hands. Lena, getting up from her chair, backed toward the door, pointing her fingers at her eyes and then jabbing them in his direction before the door whooshed shut behind her.

" . . . Well _that _was nice of you," Yang hummed as she turned her attention away from the two hot lesbians canoodling in the back. "Let's hope they don't get _too _graphic in there. These walls… are _not _all that soundproof."

"You think _you _have it bad? Imagine being _me_," Jack said with a slight dusting of red on his cheeks as he hopped into the pilot's seat and grabbed the controls, Yang's mouth forming an **O** as she remembered he had _twice _as many ears as she did.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Oi! Raunchy room of two! We're almost there!" Jack said pounding his fist on the cabin door, the sound of bodies scrambling and clothes shuffling heralding the door whooshing open a few hurried moments later. Lena's hair was a mess, going _every _which way instead of its usual left-to-right, her flight suit was a roadmap of wrinkles, and there was smeared makeup all over her visage; hers and Emily's.

"Um…" Lena paused, seeing Jack significantly red in the face. "How much of that did you actually _hear_?" she asked, seeing as how _before _there weren't any warm bodies in the cockpit when she and Lena had… 'club meetings'… and thus had no idea how loud they were actually _being_.

"Less than I wanted to, more than I wish I had."

Those walls were _not _very soundproof.

"Oh… Well… I'd be a hypocrite if I said you an' Yang couldn't do much the same," she admitted awkwardly.

"Don't worry, Jack and I are here to lean, not get hot-and-heavy," Yang stated over her shoulder. _"For nowww~"_

"Riiiiight… So, we're almost there?"

"I can see it now," Yang said pointing out the window.

The town of Amber Creek, while still in its infancy, had an abundance of infrastructure you wouldn't find in nomadic settlements. A large amount of land had been cleared of foliage with a wall erected surrounding a town of wood, brick, and plaster. The wooden walls themselves were reinforced with stone towards the bottom, metal at the top, with sentries and auto-turrets dotting the walls. Running past the town was the titular "Amber Creek" the town was probably named for, though was more-called that because of all the amber-colored leaves floating downstream than the actual color of the water. There were a few roads jutting away from the town proper with the foliage similarly cleared away, so trade between there and other towns _was _a possibility, but for necessary supplies in bulk it was actually faster and more cost-efficient to have them brought in by air.

Heck, the people of Amber Creek had even cleared out enough space for a small airfield; or at least one able to accommodate VTOLs. Better than having to go outside the _walls _where the Grimm could ambush you.

Lena shutting off the auto-pilot and assuming manual control once more, the cargo-laden Pelican came to a stop above Amber Creek, slowly descending with landing gear down, the ship shuddering as it finally came to a stop, the villagers venturing towards the airfield to receive their needed supplies. Cargo ramp hitting the packed dirt with a _***thud***_, Jack and Yang got to work hauling one of the large pallets of supplies out of the cargo hold even before the village's one forklift arrived.

"Cheers, luvs," Lena greeted in the wake of many expectant faces.

"**The cavalry's here!"** was the booming conclusion of the gathered villagers.

_"Well _that _sounds like it's practiced_,_" _Yang muttered.

_"Maybe it's a _greeting_? Or a tradition for 'mail call'?" _Jack offered as the home and shop owners began to gather around to receive their allotted supplies; which were cheaper to order in one bulk shipment instead of every family or business owner paying shipping fees _individually_.

"Thanks for the help you two, but you can let the boys take it from here," Lena said as the forklift drove into the back of the Pelican to move the remaining supplies. "Jack, Yang, this here is Amber Creek, the 'Village Elder' if you will," she said gesturing to an elderly woman making her way towards them.

The thusly-named "Amber Creek" was an aged woman with a hunched back, tanned skin marred by wrinkles with age, silvery hair with the occasional strand of dark brown in it, and lighter-brown eyes behind thick glasses. Her clothing was humble without being too "colonial", an off-white bluse and long green skirt with a green hooded cloak thrown over her shoulders, her gait aided by a wooden cane topped with a red Dust crystal rounded from years of handling.

"Well, _that's _a freaky coincidence," Yang hummed, only for Jack to rib her in the sides.

"Oh, no, no dearies, it's no coincidence at all. My son founded Amber Creek so I'd have a nice, quiet place to retire to once these old bones couldn't work anymore, and I have to say, I appreciate the lifestyle away from the big city," the elder replied with a fond smile.

"But… what about village _expansion_?" Yang asked looking around. While by no means crowded, give it a couple years (or enough randy teenagers) and elbow room could come in short supply.

"Oh, I'll be dead _long _before we can get _that_ kind of capital. At the _moment _we're just staying afloat. Rather _comfortably _at least," she smiled. "So, I see you and Emily finally decided to adopt?" she asked turning to the pilot and her girlfriend, whose attire was more-respectable not that she was among mixed company.

"Oh, nonononono," Lena said with a blushing face. "Jack and Yang here are some of my students. I'll be teaching them to fly in our off hours so they can land a shuttle without _crashing _it after getting it into the air."

"Oh. Well, it's important to expand one's horizons while you're young," the elderly woman replied, her hand going to her mouth to cover a ragged cough, only to brush it off like it'd never happened. "I'm sure the long journey here's left you all exhausted."

"_Some more than _others_~" _Yang purred, causing Lena to shoot the girl an irate glance over her shoulder.

"So why don't you stick around for _lunch_? It's the _least _we can do for getting these much-needed supplies here so _expediently_," the elderly woman continued. "Other pilots just don't seem to _care _about that sort of thing, taking their sweet time and whatnot."

"Well, when you come from a little hamlet like this, I guess it's just easier to care," Lena shrugged. "Sure, we'd _love _a free meal."

"We would? Don't we have to get back to Beacon?" Yang asked with a tilt of her head.

"Can _you _fly a D-77 TC Pelican without crashing it?" Lena asked poignantly.

"Well… _no_, but-"

"Then I guess that means _I'm _still your ride home," Lena said with a small smirk.

"Unless you'd rather _hoof _it," Emily said with an equal grin.

Probably from the "some more than others" comment _earlier_.

"What's on the menu?" Jack asked.

"Breakfast for lunch, I'll admit," Amber replied, a tiny hint of embarrassment on her features. "The young just came back with some fresh Red Sap from the woods, so we'll be having _waffles_. The dimples are better for that sort of thing. Not like _pancakes_, which we 'round these parts call 'the _lazy _man's waffle'."

_"Don't tell _Nora _about this place. She might have a conniption," _Jack chuckled as the four of them were led into the village proper.

That Lena was willing to leave her airship unsupervised with total (or maybe not _total_-total) strangers showed the great _trust _she put with these people.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So… What might the two of you be going to school for?" Amber asked as the five of them ate in the gazebo outside the village matriarch's home. True to form, it was breakfast for lunch, their plates piled high with waffles slathered with red sap and a dusting of powdered sugar, a bit of bacon on the side that tasted slightly of Red Sap; maybe from the pigs' original diets out in the woods, or something that their domesticated cousins raised in the village proper were being fed.

If you could use root beer to raise the quality off kobe beef, why not Red Sap with pigs?

"The two of us are going to Beacon to become _Hunters_!" Yang said with a grin showing off her guns, both literally and figuratively.

"That's nice. My granddaughter _also _went to school to become a Huntress," she replied.

"She did? What's her name? We might know her from school," Yang hummed.

"My son named her after me. Looks just _like _me when I was her age," the elderly woman hummed. In response, Jack and Yang racked their brains but came up blank.

"Um… sorry, we don't know anyone else named Amber," Yang apologized.

"Well, that's okay. When that nice man with the clockwork cane and glasses came to get her, he said it was going to be a working, _independent _study," Amber (Sr.) replied.

_'Clockwork cane and glasses?' _Jack thought, an image of one such man immediately coming to mind.

"Oh, I think I have a picture of her on me," Amber said patting her pockets. "Ah, here we go," she said holding a yellowed photograph out for them to take. "If you ever come across her, tell her her gran-gran misses her."

Jack and Yang holding a corner of the photo each, the two of them saw the image of a young teen around Ruby's age; at least at the point of time the picture was _taken_.

The girl who was _also _named Amber had a light brown complexion with shoulder-length straight brown dark hair cut just above the shoulders. There was a beauty mark below her left eye, both of which were a dark brown, her attire consisting of a long green hooded cloak on top of an off-white blouse accompanied with a brown vest, corset, and pants. She had a gold bracer on her left arm, twin gold bracelets on her right wrist, and a pair of golden armored leather boots, a golden pauldron on her right shoulder and a leather strap with item pouches slung diagonally across her body. In her hand was an extendable staff with a large pointed Red Dust crystal at the top and a smaller White Dust crystal on the bottom, both held to the body of the staff with twining root-like extensions.

"Wow. She sure is a _looker_," Yang nodded appreciably before realizing the girl's grandmother was _literally _sitting right across from her. "Uh, I mean-"

"Oh don't worry about it, dearie. Little Amber had loads of boys pining after her, that sentiment isn't anything new," Amber chuckled sweetly.

Of course, the way she held out her hand to get the photo _back _hinted that she didn't appreciate the _bluntness _of such a statement.

Whether or not part of the reasoning was because said statement came from another _girl _wasn't something the two of them really chose to dwell on.

"So…" Yang hummed awkwardly as she ate into her "Red Sap Bacon", turning toward Jack and away from the doting grandmother she may've offended. "What do you think the _others _are doing right now?"

"I dunno. Probably eating lunch, same as us," Jack shrugged.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhile, at the Beacon dining hall…

"Omigod! Everything's _floating_!"

"It's the Beacon Poltergeist!"

"Someone call the Ghost Crackers!"

"I DON'T WANNA DIIIIIE!"

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Jack added with a matter-of-fact nod.

"Yeah, I mean, what's the _worst _that could happen while we're out of town?" Yang asked aloud.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Well, it was real nice having lunch with ya, but we've gotta get back to Beacon, work in a few more lessons 'fore the day's out," Lena stated back at the airfield.

"That's okay, dear, I understand," Amber nodded. "An' you two," she said turning to the younger of the group. "You see my gran'baby, you tell her to come on back, ya hear? She doesn't write, she doesn't call…"

"I'll keep an eye out," Jack replied.

"Hey, what about _me_?" Yang whined.

"_You _don't get out enough to _make _that kind of promise."

" . . . Okay, you got me there," she conceeded.

"Oh, but before you leave, some gift baskets for the nice couples," Amber said kindly, a pair of strapping young men carrying wicker gift baskets laden with Red Sap-based products making their way towards Lena and Jack.

"But, Yang and I aren't-"

_"Hush, Jack. We're getting free _stuff_," _Yang said putting a finger to his lips in what was outwardly a romantic gesture.

"Well… as long as you're offering," Jack reiterated as he received the offering graciously, his nostrils flaring as he took in the sweet scent of Red Sap in its new and varied forms; candles, soaps, syrups, candies, gum, and medical dressings.

He'd have to hide away the _raw _sap somewhere otherwise Ruby would chug it all down in one go.

Her or Nora.

"Thank you very _much_, Mrs. Creek," Lena replied kindly. "But, you don't have to keep _doin' _this for-"

_"Hush, Lena. We're getting free stuff," _Emily said putting a finger to his lips in what was outwardly a romantic gesture.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Now remember, Yang. Flyin' an airship is like ridin' a bicycle," Lena said soothingly as Yang held the controls, the auto-pilot disengaged once they'd left Amber Creek.

"Yeah, except this one moves in three dimensions, weighs a hundred and forty metric tons, and you can reduce the population of any standing structure to zero if you happen to kamikaze it through the top floor."

"Uh… Could you run that by me again?" Lena asked looking at him.

"This one moves in three dimensions?"

"After that."

"Weighs a hundred and forty metric tons?"

"After _that_."

"I'd rather _not_."

"It's okay. He's just messin' with ya," Yang replied. "Besides, if he really _had _done that last thing, he'd've been reduced to a grimy _paste_."

"Yes. _That's _why."

"Ever the kidder," the blond chuckled, the ship letting out a horrible shudder a moment later that threw those standing to the floor, their additional passenger letting out an undignified cry. "It wasn't me!"

"How could it not've been you? You're _literally _holding the yoke," Jack said flatly.

"Guys! We've got a _problem_!" Emily said frantically as the door whooshed open, the woman hastily pointing to the ceiling.

"Aarrrr. This whale be _harpooned_, be she," Yang said seeing the large spear-like implement impaled through the center of the roof, four large prongs keeping it in place.

"That tone only works if we're at _sea_," Jack said as he looked at the speedometer. "Shit," he grunted as their speed began to drop. "Keep this bird steady. I'm heading up to the roof."

"Here. Take these mag-boots with you," Lena said passing them over from a wall compartment. With an appreciative nod the Faunus affixed them over his sandals before ascending the ladder beside the cockpit and lifting the emergency hatch. The wind rushing into the Blood Tray loudly, Jack climbed halfway out of their vessel and looked over his shoulder before stopping in his tracks.

"Um… Guys… We've got a bit of a problem."

"Problem? Like what?" Yang asked as she fought the controls.

"In case the big-ass _harpoon _wasn't indicator enough… SKY PIRAAAAATES!"

**Cue Battle Chasers: Nightwar OST - Loftbuckler**

The sun at its back and the clouds parting around it, a massive First-Gen airship, its bladder covered in metal plates and its gondola a hodgepodge of guns and armor plating, if the fact that they were being attacked unprovoked wasn't indicator enough, the massive fabricated skull split between its bladder and gondola was all the evidence you needed to know this _wasn't _a trading vessel.

"Sky Pirates! Oh _crap_!" Yang yelped.

"Lena, keep this thing steady! Emily, stay in the hold! Yang, keep 'em safe!" Jack said as he stepped onto the roof, his hair whipping against him.

"No way! I'm coming up there _with _you!" the blond argued.

"You got mag-boots?"

"Well, _no_, but-"

"Then stay down there. A hottie like you will have these guys _salivating_; and I don't mean from their _mouths_."

"Ugh. _Gross_," Emily retched.

"Yeah, no _shit_," Jack bit out as he approached the cable, drawn taut as the zeppelin overhead reeled them in. "Yang, lock up behind me! We've got a _boarding _party!" the Faunus shouted as four raiders mounted the cable with Sky-Hooks and descended. "HRAH!" Jack roared as he popped his claws and slashed the cable, sparks flying but none of the fibers broken. "Shit!" Jack swore, the raiders whooping and hollering as they cleared the first third of line. "Let's try something else!" he said rolling up his sleeve and running a slash down his left forearm. "**Blood Arte: Crow Claw!**" he intoned as a scythe-like blade made of blood spilled out of his arm, which he swung out at the cable harpooning the Pelican.

The raiders' hooting and hollering stopped as their cable shuddered, half the fibers whipping out madly as they were cut, the buckling of the Pelican enough to throw Jack off were it not for the mag-boots.

"Double-time it boys! He's cuttin' the line!" the raider in the lead shouted, hitting the trigger on their Sky-Hooks.

"No you _don't_!" Jack roared as he slashed the cable once more, this time freeing the Pelican and the raiders' zip-line going slack. The one in the lead had built up enough speed to land feet-first on the tail-end of the Pelican, rolling into the landing. The raider behind him struck it chest-first and fell back but was able to grab onto a groove in the metal. The third raider struck his head on the tail with a sickening _***CRACCK***_ and tumbled to his doom, dead before he hit the ground, while the fourth never so much as _grazed _it, letting out a blood-curdling cry of panic on the way down. "Looks like it's just you and _me _now," Jack said levelling his eyes at the remaining raider, sporting an impressive looking shot-gauntlet on his right arm; which was also mechanical.

_***Clunk***_

"Don't worry Jack! I've got your baAAAAACK?!" Yang yelped as she leapt onto the roof only to start tumbling as the wind hit her, her body striking the second raider just as he'd pulled himself up, Yang unironically-enough gripping the same groove in the metal _he _had; before she'd sent him plummeting to his doom at least.

"God _damn _it Yang!" Jack swore as he moved to help her, only for the raider to step forward and take a swing at him. The Faunus deflecting the blow, Jack stepped back a moment later as the raider swung at him with his Sky-Hook in his off-hand, the scooped blades whirling wildly.

"Not so fast, _boy_!"

"YOUUU RACIIIST BASTAAAAARD!" Yang swore as she clung to the Pelican for dear life, her hair creating an insane amount of drag her monstrously-strong fingers could barely compensate for.

"I AM NOT _RACIST_-AGH MY ROBOT ARM!" the raider swore, the mistake of turning his back on Jack costing him aforementioned arm as an upward slash of the Faunus' blood-borne blade took the mechanical limb right off, the prosthesis pinwheeling through the air before Jack caught it by the shoulder and back-handed the raider in the face, sending him for a loop as his Aura took the blow.

"Nice _shot-_gauntlet. I'll _take _it," Jack smirked as he wrenched the implement from the stolen arm, slipping it over his own arm.

"Waitwaitwait-"

"_Nope_!" Jack chirped happily as he swung the top-of-the-line Two-Step Goodbye into the guy's right knee with a loud _***BA-BOOM!***_

The raider's kneecap exploding into a bloody mist as the high-end explosive left the barrel and overwhelmed his Aura, as pain exploded up Jack's arm and the Faunus recoiled, the raider let out a blood-curdling cry as he whipped backwards in the wind with only one leg to stand on. His body bouncing up and down on the roof as his remaining mag-boot held him in place, Yang fired her right shot-gauntlet backwards and flung herself onto the roof, grabbing the raider's arm and using him like a lifeline, dragging her body unashamedly over his as she made her way back onto the Pelican.

"Need a hand?" Yang heard, looking up to see Jack extending the raider's robot arm out to her.

"Jack, that was _terrible. _I would _never _make a joke that stupid," Yang said as she took the proferred hand and let herself be pulled up, the Faunus wrapping his left arm around her waist and holding her against his body as he reared back the Two-Step Goodbye. Arm visibly trembling from the recoil, Jack grit his teeth as he strode forward.

"I hope you liked those titties, cause they're the last titties you're ever going to see," he said drawing his arm back.

"Nononono!"

"Buh-bye, _BITCH_!" Jack swore as he blasted the raider's other knee out, the top of the Pelican getting another blood stain as the remainder of the landing party was sent plummeting over the tail of the Pelican, plummeting to his doom as blood poured out where his legs once were. "Agh… _Fuck_!" Jack swore as he dropped to a knee, arm trembling and blood dribbling over the stolen shot-gauntlet. "Rrgh. Yang, hold on a little longer. I've almost got it," he said flipping the mag-boots off and wrenching out the Human viscera one leg at a time before passing them to Yang.

"Isn't this a little… _morbid_?" Yang asked as she secured the mag-boots over her footwear, stabilizing herself atop the Pelican.

"If this really _bothers _you so much, you could always go the way of the _lemmings_."

"Nothankyou!"

"GUYS!" Lena shouted over the ship's speaker systems. "Whatever you did up there must've _really _brassed them off, cause I've got missile lock!"

"Yeah! We _noticed_!" Yang shouted as she looked up, spying four missiles screaming out the raider airship towards them, her Ember Celica firing rounds one after another on intercept; all sans one that took out the back right engine pod. "Lena! What's the damage?!" she asked as the ship shuddered beneath her feet.

"Well we ain't _outrunning _them, _that's _for sure!"

"Then we've got no choice… I'll have to _board _them," Jack said taking a step forward, only to recoil as pain exploded horrendously up his arm.

"Jack, you're _hurt_!"

"No _shit_, Sherlock!" Jack swore as his right arm spasmed. _"Fuck! Must've re-broken an old fracture_…_"_

"Well no _wonder _your arm's fucked! That's the Two-Step Goodbye, the only melee weapon the Torgue Corporation ever _made_! Even Mr. _Torgue _thought it was dangerous to make anything stronger than this!" Yang gawped at the sight of it. "I always _wanted _one of those, but the price tag was too high."

"You want it… it's all yours," Jack said holding out his arm, the blond slipping off her right Ember Celica and swapping the two, testing the weight of her new shot-gauntlet while Jack's arm hung lamely at his side. "Well _you _certainly know what you want…"

"Thanks, Jack. You're the best, _mwah_!" Yang smirked as she planted a wet one on his cheek, cocking the Two-Step Goodbye and checking its ammo. "Don't worry about me, with _my _Semblance, this'll be the _perfect _weapon for me! _Instant _power-boost!"

"Glad _you're _having a good time… Lena! Take us up! Emily! Find something to splint my arm with! I need to be combat-ready by the time we're at the raiders' cruising altitude."

_***NEW WORLD***_

Jack dropping to his knee in the blood tray, Emily worked frantically to splint Jack's broken arm, the Faunus funneling as much Aura as he could into the break to accelerate its recovery. While this was going on, Yang squared her feet on the roof of the Pelican and intercepted the follow-up missiles sent their way. Those she couldn't stop were re-directed with the flares Lena launched. By the time Emily's work was done, the Pelican was level with the raider airship's gondola, the deck lined with blood-lustful raiders.

Cargo door opening, Jack leapt out onto the enemy deck while Yang joined him, Lena pulling the Pelican away so none of the raiders could jump onto it, though by the catcalls Lena's girlfriend had already been seen.

"Lena! How's that SOS coming?" Jack said into his earpiece.

"No good. Sky pirates must be _jamming _us. Best hope is we get close-enough to Vale that someone _sees _us and we force them to break off."

"Well, keep trying," Jack said more for her benefit than his as he and Yang sized up the raiders before them. All of them tanned and clad in wind-worn canvas and leather, their eyes were shielded by tinted goggles and they carried a myriad of weapons on their persons. In total they numbered well over a dozen. "Yang, you _ready _for this?"

"I was _born _ready!" Yang whooped as she cocked her Two-Step Goodbye back.

"Oh _I _know what you were born for!" one raider whooped. "My _dic-_"

"**Blades of Blood!**" Jack shouted as he slashed out with his right arm, crescent blades of deepest red screaming through the air at random, deep gashes left in the wooden deck while the weakest of the raiders, three in total, were dropped in halves. "Three down, seventeen to go."

"And who _knows _how many more there are below deck!" Yang said as a large man wielding an enormous sword ran at her. The blond stepping inside his swing and punching him with the Two-Step Goodbye, embers exploded off her hair as the recoil hit, the follow-up blow sending the greatsword-wielding raider flying into one of the missile pods with a deafening _***CRACK-CRUNCH***_, breaking it from its mounting. Two more raiders wielding a sword and an axe rushed at her to avenge their fallen comrade, but the flying roundhouse kick, empowered by her semblance, broke the two of them in half as it connected sending them hurtling over the side of the gondola. "I know how _I _get off my… _kicks_."

"Booooo!" one of the sky pirates booed.

"Shut up! That was funny and you all _know _it!"

"_This _is the girl I chose to fight Sky Pirates with," Jack sighed as he strode forward, the raiders taking a collective step back as the large scythe-like blade of blood formed from the wound on his left arm. "Alright boys…" he said unfurling the Ember Celica on his right arm. "Who's first?"

**Cue Battle Chasers: Nightwar OST – Battle Chasers Theme**

One of the raiders throwing a tomahawk through the air, Jack caught it before returning it to sender, the other sky pirates charging forward as their comrade's face became intimately familiar with the business end of his own axe. The raiders fanning out to surround Jack on all sides, Jack dug his heels into the deck and swung his **Crow Claw **in a circle. Hexagonal perforations beginning to dot the blade, its reach extended while its mass remained the same, clipping two and bifurcating a third, the rest of them abandoning their initial assault. The raiders levelling their firearms his way, Jack cocked back the Ember Celica and blasted a hole into the deck, dropping down as bullets whizzed through his mane of hair, some of the raiders caught in the crossfire.

On the other side of the deck, the raiders closing in on Yang paused in their tracks as they recognized the weapon on her right arm. Choosing instead to level their firearms at her, right as they fired Yang launched herself into the air, flipped, and kicked off the bottom of the balloon above her, divebombing a man with a sniper rifle. The girl _literally c_rashing headfirst into him, his Aura shimmered from the blow but doing nothing to stop the concussion from the hit, Yang kicking up the rifle into her hands. The busty blond wielded it by the barrel and swung it about like a baseball bat, the power-boost from the TSG's recoil letting her blows break bones and send unfortunate souls into the wild blue yonder.

Elsewhere, as the raiders were debating who would dive into the below-deck to go after him, a clawed hand burst from the deck and dragged one unfortunate soul at the edge of the group into the depths below, a panicked cry turning into a gurgling _***SQUELCH* **_The raiders gathering around the new hole and firing downwards, as another called them all idiots for firing into the cargo hold where they kept their gunpowder and Dust, a severed head flew out of the first hole and struck one of them in the head. The raider looking over his shoulder to see a familiar face and little else, his eyes widened in horror as he saw one of their IEDs crammed into the decapitated head's mouth. Before he could warn the others that the pin was missing, the bomb exploded killing _him_, burning others, and sending another unfortunate soul flying overboard.

Yang's blood pumping as the battle raged around her, one raider with brass knuckles managed to get a lucky shot on her left cheek. However, instead of sending her to the deck like hoped, the blond's mane exploded once again with embers, her eyes snapping to crimson as she rounded on the raider, her TSG striking him in the gut and blasting a perfectly-circular hole through his stomach like something you'd find in Fatal Kombatants. Another raider coming at her with a spear, Yang leapt onto it and drove the end into the deck, applying her weight to the shaft and pinning the guy's hands to the ground, allowing her to execute a perfect bicycle kick to the chin knocking him out, blasting another two raiders coming at her from the sides with a blast of her Ember Celica and Two-Step Goodbye.

Elsewhere, the survivors of Jack's earlier volley, some of them sporting human teeth in their shrapnel wounds, saw the Faunus from before bursting from the hold, the bright red barrel he brought up with a jagged white circle painted on it filling them with a sense of dread. The barrel lazily rolled toward the recovering pirates like a bowling ball, the Faunus cocked his right arm back before firing a shot from his shot-gauntlet, raider eyes going wide as those that survived the first blast were taken out by the second. Though these tactics were hardly fair by any measure, Jack wasn't about to get into a scrap with a dozen dudes while sporting a broken arm, even _if _he was stronger than most of them in a 1-on-1 setting.

A few minutes into their battle, the giant double-doors to the cabin were kicked open, a large rotund man with a giant red beard and a bald head with scars stepped out into the open. His attire consisted only of loose parachute pants with pinstripes, his left arm replaced with a massive Automail limb.

For convenience's sake let's call him "Red Beard".

"_This _is what I had to leave my 'me-time' for?" the man that was obviously the captain asked as he surveyed the deck, eyeing the bodies before turning to the two Beacon students. "Part of me's real _pissed _at what you did to my men, but I appreciate ya trimmin' the fat a little," Red Beard said as his eyes roved up and down Yang's body, the girl crossing her arms and shuddering in revulsion as the man hungrily licked his lips.

"Hey, eyes over _here_!" Jack shouted as he grabbed a discarded axe and chucked it.

"A Faunus, huh?" the captain said aloud as the weapon deflected harmlessly off his metal limb. "Oh don't worry, I know _just _how to deal with _your _kind," he said as his hand folded down and a cannon barrel slid out, a loud _***BOOM!***_ issuing out and sending Jack flying into the bow, ears bleeding and ringing from the sonic cannon.

"_Jack_!" Yang cried as she ran toward him, only for a meaty hand to grab her by the hair and haul her off her feet.

"Well now… Aren't _you _a fine specimen?" the captain asked as he held her aloft and appraised her, the girl's eyes flashing red as she swung her left arm out at him, his Automail hand catching her left causing her to cry out in pain as the metal hand smothered the explosion atop her own. "Got a little _fire _in your belly. I _like _that. Of course… I can think of somethin' _else _I'd like to put in there, heheheh…"

"Hands off! She's _mine_!" Jack shouted as he shakily got to his feet. His monochrome hair wavering, his impressive mane coiled itself around his bad arm, the tips of his hair hardening into spikes around his clenched fist.

The Faunus rushing at him, arm drawn back as he leapt into the air, Red Beard smirked as he positioned Yang's dangling body between them as the Faunus threw his fist out. To his shock however, the mane around the Faunus' arm unfurled itself, flowing _around _the blond's body like two streams of water before meeting back up, coiling into a spike that shot up into the raider's right arm. A yowl of pain spilling out his lips as he released his captive, Yang flung herself into the air before shooting her Ember Celica upward, a furious yell and a pinwheel of embers heralding the blond's mighty axe kick into the man's skull, the deck rippling underneath him as the two separated.

"So… I see you picked up on your uncle's _trick_," Yang said as Jack's hair coiled back around his bad arm and supported it.

"It was in the spur of the moment," Jack replied, eyes turning up as Red Beard began to recover from the blow. "Yang, you ready for a tag-team?"

"You bet I am!" the blond smirked. "SUNNY BADGER!"

"I can't believe Ruby _called _it that!"

A couple meters away, right as Red Beard recovered from the blow to his skull, he looked up to see that the Faunus had coiled his hair around the blond's left arm, swinging her in a large circle like a flail and building up momentum. The blond letting out a furious yell as she was flung, the sky pirate captain was able to raise up his left palm to catch the TSG's blow, a panicked yowl leaving his lips as the blast sent fingers flying in every direction. Skidding back another couple meters, the Faunus rushed forward and held out his right arm to Yang, the girl holding him at the wrist and putting her _own _spin on things. The distance closing, Jack loosed his **Crow Claw**, the incredible sharpness combined with Yang's Semblance-aided strength cutting through Red Beard's Aura like a hot knife through butter, muscle and fat cut even as the man leapt back, his fingerless automail hand going to his ruptured gut to hold his entrails in.

"STRIKE THREE!" Jack howled as he lunged forward.

"YOU'RE…" Yang bellowed following suit.

"**OUTTA HERE!**" the two shouted as they struck the staggered captain in the face with one Ember Celica apiece, his Aura shattering as he was sent tumbling across the deck, his back striking the stern with a powerful _***CRACK***_

**END OST**

"Sooo…" Yang hummed once she was sure none of the raiders would be getting back up again. "I heard what you _said _about me back there~" she said leaning forward, a cheeky smile on her face as she tantalizingly displayed her cleavage for him to see. "You said I was _youuurs~_" she cooed.

"Just so I could get the fat fuck's attention," Jack countered.

"You _looooove_ me~"

"Yang…"

"You wanna _kiiiiiss_ me~"

"Yang…!"

"You-mph!"

The blond's words were cut off as the Faunus grabbed a fistful of her hair and mashed his lips into hers. Tilting his head to get a better fit, Yang found her eyes closing as she leaned forward to wrap her arms around him. Before she could close the gap however, the Faunus pulled away right as things were about to get good. The taste of Red Sap and honey lingering, a disappointed whine left Yang's lips as the Faunus left her hot and bothered after the heat of battle.

"You talk to much," the Faunus stated with a cheeky smile of his own, Yang blinking owlishly before breaking out into a huge grin, throwing an arm over his shoulder and burying his face into her cleavage.

"You know you love me, my little Sunny Badger," the blond chuckled, knowing that now she had her _own _kiss-and-tell story to share with a certain heiress.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Wall Patrol at Vale had seen many things in their day, but _never _had they expected to see a D-77 TC Pelican guiding a Sky Pirate Blimp, bereft of its crew, back to the Kingdom like some sort of prize on the tail-end of its winch. Patrol craft deployed, one of the fleet captains conversing with Lena about what had happened, those that boarded were privy to the sight of a battered Faunus cross-referencing faces to any standing bounties with his Pocket Scroll, tossing those without any into a pile.

And that was just from the bodies that were relatively _intact_. Some of them had been reduced to piles of steaming _meat_; the scorch marks and smell of gunpowder on the deck told the tale.

Of course it wasn't _all _blood and murder up there. A few of the raiders, bruised and battered as they were, had obviously surrendered and let themselves be restrained otherwise they would've just been tossed overboard, out into the Frontier where no-one would ever find the bodies, as was the right of anyone on the right side of the law who found themselves fighting Sky Pirates.

From the _cabin _was a busty blond cackling gleefully, gaudily covered in gold and jewels she'd looted. At the very least _she_ had the decency to look embarrassed after being caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Not unlike her compatriot who was ripping out any golden teeth he found with a wicked-looking set of pliers.

"Hey, you there."

"Y-Yes?" one of the patrolmen yelped as the Faunus turned up at him.

"Come here a minute," the Faunus said crooking his finger at him, the other Skyway Patrol giving the man a shove. _"Listen, I need you to keep my teammate away from the captain's cabin."_

_"A-And why's that?" _he whispered to the blood-spattered Faunus.

_"The captain mentioned 'me-time' and came out here with only his pants on. I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to figure out what he was _doing _before we kicked his ass. Right?"_

_"Y-Yeah… I figured…" _the man replied, since this was quite _obviously _a Sky Pirate vessel, and there were loads of horror stories in circulation about them. Cautionary tales to keep people vigilant once they left the ground.

_"Good. Just because she'd heard all the same horror stories you have, doesn't mean she's ready to walk into a _sex _dungeon. _Especially _on a Sky Pirate vessel."_

"Hey Jack, what're you talking about over there?" Yang asked from across the deck, heading his way like she _wasn't _covered in stolen gold and jewels.

"Just handing off the prisoners to the Valian Fleet for a fair-and-impartial trial," Jack waved off. _"You make sure these dirtbags never make it off the ground ever again, you hear?"_

_"I'll pass that sentiment onto my commanding officer."_

_"Good man," _Jack said patting him on the shoulder. "Yang, I think that's quite enough. We'll leave the rest of the looting to the fleet, and get our cut from the Hunter Union."

"Sweet. So when do we take ownership?" Yang asked looking around.

"It doesn't work that way, miss. All seized airworthy vessels become property of the Kingdom they're seized in, not individualized property," one of the patrolmen replied.

"Awww…" Yang pouted.

"Come on, Yang. Let's go home," Jack said as the Pelican listed over to the deck.

"Do I still get to keep my loot?" Yang asked as she gestured to the gold and jewels decorating her person; _and _weighing her pockets.

"You'll have to put that stuff back, but as the capturing party you'll have first pick of any unclaimed loot after everything is accounted for," one of the patrolmen replied. "It's quite _rare _for a pirate vessel to be seized in any working order, so I'm sure you'll be able to get your 'spoils of war' in a couple weeks."

"Oh… _fine_," Yang groaned.

"Don't worry. In the meantime you can help me carry these severed heads to the bounty office," Jack said holding out a blood-stained bag.

"EEWWWW!" Yang retched.

"Don't worry. You'll get your cut too."

" . . . Still _gross_… but I'll take it," Yang sighed as she took one of the bags, Jack carrying two as they made their way back into the Pelican.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**AN:  
The idea behind how Airships were built in the "days of yore" was largely inspired by ****The Aeronaut's Windlass****, the first novel of ****The Cinder Spires**** series written by Jim Butcher, a steampunk fantasy series that mixes steampunk technologies, magical wars, and intelligent cats.**

**It's as wild a read as you would think.**

**I originally happened upon that hidden gem when looking for Audiobooks to listen to on my daily commute to work (before I learned there was an App I could use to get Audiobooks from the Nashville Library free-of-charge), and the story had me hooked beginning to end.**

**As for the Sky Pirate attack, **_**that **_**was inspired by ****Battle Chasers: Nightwar****, a hidden gem of a game I happened upon at GameStop based on a 1990s comic books series that was **_**crazy**_** popular back in the day but never ended in a **_**satisfying **_**fashion with the game itself being the "soul successor" to Joe Madureira's famed work. The game by itself can be standalone and still enjoyed but if you've **_**read **_**the 9 issues that came out back in 1998 (through 2001), you'd have some of the context to understand the background lore and interpersonal dialogue that runs when you stay at the Inn (The Disemboweled Traveler) a bit better.**

**Anyway, since the story up to this point was mostly teen drama and humor, I was glad to be able to get to the **_**action **_**of it that we all know ****RWBY**** for (Volume 7 airing on November 2****nd**** 2019). I've received complaints that this story has "gone from a OC RWBY fic that had both action and comedy to a bashing/crank fic for humor and drama value alone", and I **_**acknowledge **_**that. However, the detour from what some of you really wanted was **_**necessary **_**because without the interpersonal dynamics and the **_**growth **_**(and more importantly **_**changes **_**of those dynamic), I wouldn't actually be able to work in the **_**growth **_**of the characters beyond the Canon leaving them to stagnate.**

**Plus, if I just **_**skipped **_**to the point where Blake goes AWOL, the story'd be pretty boring, wouldn't it? Timeskips deserve love **_**too **_**you know.**

**P.S.  
In the event anyone wants to complain about "too many crossovers", I mainly do this so that way my stories don't become too over-saturated with OCs. In Jack's case he's like medicine; he's good in a prescribed dosage but toxic in excess, which is why Male Leads (especially in a female-dominant cast like in ****RWBY****) like Arthur Asimov and Vincent Valentine (OC) become necessary, in addition to the Character Expansion on Ren and Cardin's parts beyond the bounds of the Canon.**

**Anyway, since this story had a mix of Drama, Humor, and Action, I hope to get lots of Reviews for this world-building World of Remnant special.**


	20. RWBBY Chibi: Episode 1

**TM11:** So, Jack and Yang a thing now? Because that's the pairing I'm rooting for. Liked the information about airships it was...informative and interesting. And did Jack really kamikaze an airship AND survived!? Damn, what hasn't he done yet!?

_***RWBBY CHIBI***_

It was the middle of nowhere in the Kingdom of Vacuo, well outside the realm of any city within the Frontier. The Borderlands as they were sometimes called, were home to all sorts. Those brave enough to put down roots. Those in search of ancient treasures waiting to be discovered. Or most-despised-of-all… those that would seek fortune at the expense of others.

One such place, a Circle of Man slave-gathering depot, was under attack at that very moment. The perpetrators, the White Fang only a single year after the "Blood Raid" that opened the eyes of Ghira Belladonna to the truth. The truth that no amount of picket signs or boycotts would ever change things as long as those in power had a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

The White Fang had attacked in the night, just-before the sun had risen in the distance. Though the light _would _have been an aid to the members of the Circle, that they had to adjust from darkness actually slowed their recovery down even more, allowing hundreds of slaves to be freed, with White Fang Captains and Lieutenants scattering along with them to the four winds.

The only member of the White Fang left, single-handedly assaulting a concrete spire in the middle of the facility hewn from pre-fab slabs, was the legendary Jack the Ripper, ex-Slave Gladiator turned freedom fighter and slave-ring buster.

The staff of the building beaten beyond moving or forced into unconsciousness, Jack had proceeded to steal the only remaining aircraft in the complex, all others irrevocably destroyed at the start of the night raid by IEDs to the control stations of each Third-Gen airship.

The sole intact Pelican rising into the air, engine pods roaring, the D77-TC soared into the air. Flying almost straight-up like a rocket. The vehicle stalling moments later, a flurry of thrusts from the engine pods caused the vessel to pitch and roll until the nose was pointing straight-down at the only building _not _on fire.

Warning klaxons blaring- **[Collision Imminent. Collision Imminent. Collision Imminent.]** -in his ears, Jack the Ripper steeled himself as the concrete structure's roof raced upward to meet him.

_***Flashback End***_

"And that's what happened," the storyteller concluded.

"I see… And what happened after _that_?" Chibi Adam replied, he and Chibi Jack (the Ripper) sitting across from one another in a White Fang command tent mere hours after the night raid's conclusion. Outside the tent flaps, Chibi White Fang and Chibi ex-slaves celebrated both a job well done and the yoke of oppression being cast off. Chibi White Fang danced a conga line, chugged beer, or fired off gunshots into the air excitedly. Chibi ex-slaves cast off the rags they were forced to wear as merchandise and danced around roaring bonfires, eating well for the first time in weeks.

Suffice it to say, it was good times all around.

Except for all the slavers that'd been killed; but _screw _those guys!

"I opened the cargo ramp, shot out the windows, and rode the wind right _out _of that bird. Glad I packed that parachute, _huh, _Adam?"

"So you technically… _failed_, in your kamikaze run."

"I never said I was a _good _kamikaze pilot."

"Some would say that abandoning a kamikaze run isn't very honorable."

"What do you value most? Honor that gets you killed, or failure that lets you live?"

" . . . Fair point," Chibi Adam shrugged. "So, why aren't you celebrating with the others?"

"Oh, he _will _be~" Chibi Saya purred as she threw Chibi Jack (the Ripper) over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Come on, I got someone I want you to meet~"

"Make sure you use _protection_," Chibi Adam said, playing the straight man as Chibi Jack (the Ripper) was carried away, his tiny limbs flailing as he sought to escape the woman's hold.

_***Cue Scene Transition***_

***Chibi Adam drops down amidst a white backdrop. A half-dozen Chibi AK-130s closing in on him from off-screen, Chibi-Adam puts his hand on his sword, the marks on his mask glowing ominously before he slashes horizontally, a thin red line spanning the screen before the frame split away from the middle.***

_***RWBBY CHIBI***_

"Sooooo…" Chibi Nora hummed, kicking her legs under the table as their chibi teammates ate their lunch around them. "You and Yang are _together _together, huh?" she asked with a cheeky smile on her face. On the TV behind them, a news feed of a line of arrested sky pirates being dragged into a paddywagon was being shown, one of them shaking their fist out the rear window and glowering at them, a black censor bar appearing over his mouth every few seconds.

"Not… exactly…" Chibi Jack (minus the Ripper) returned as he watched the feed, wondering if they were going to be a problem later on.

"It's more like the gap between us _closed _a little," Chibi Yang answered bringing her fingers together, but not all the way. "Still…" she said with a smile. "I think we're taking a step in the right direction," she said reaching over to put an arm on his shoulder, only for their heads to bonk together. "Dang format change," she pouted as her arm flailed awkwardly at the side, their cheeks pressed together before she settled for grabbing onto his hand. "We both have our issues still, but all in all I think a little life-threatening peril was _good _for our relationship."

" . . . _I _ship it," Chibi Nora nodded, while off to the side Chibi Weiss was fuming.

A moment later, Chibi Blake put a kettle of tea atop her head, steam squealing out the spout a moment later.

"Who wants tea?" she offered helpfully.

_***RWBBY CHIBI***_

TM11**'s Review was very thoughtfully written since they were a long-time Reviewer, and it **_**easily **_**inspired the scene between Jack (the Ripper) and Adam. **

**That being said, the above statements **_**are **_**Canonical for the ****Giant-Slayer**** Fanon. Jack really **_**did **_**do what he did at some point in the past as a White Fang Lieutenant; if you pull an ejector seat out of your ass in the middle of a Kamikaze run you **_**are **_**still a Kamikaze pilot, you just really **_**suck **_**at it (contextually). As for Jack/Yang, they aren't "together together" like Bumblebee became in the Canon after one little life-or-death battle together, just some impassioned words and a kiss, but they **_**are **_**moving in that direction.**

**The format-change between Default and Chibi was a way of staying true to the **_**original **_**occurrence, while the transition into the latter format was so the **_**story **_**of the first ****RWBBY Chibi**** off-shot wouldn't "interfere" with the main story. At **_**others**_**… it might just be random talk & nonsense (read: malarkey), but at those points I'll **_**clarify **_**whether it's Fanon or not.**

**Depending on whether this is well-received or not will decide whether or not I do more of these in the future, whether it be in response to Reviews, or like "cutaways" to scenes that **_**relate **_**to the main story but would screw with the pacing.**

**So… Tell me what you think, and enjoy the double-release.**


	21. World of Remnant: Espers

**GreyWing44: **Intelligent cats? Looks like I've got some reading to do.  
Also sky pirates! Borderlands! More! This thing keeps getting better and better. I hope we'll get to see Borderlands 3 characters real soon. Played it, loved it. Loved Zayne that Irish b***.  
And the shipper within me is like...Yeahhhhh! And NOOOO! You have torn me between sunny badger and Bumblebee you critin!  
...Kidding. totally saw it coming. Can't wait for next chapter! I wonder if it's ghost busters centric or some other ghost centric! Or maybe it's a new Grimm! Can't wait to find out.

**NeoNazo356: **"Intelligent cats" in the context of Cinder Spires aren't part of the Giant-Slayer Fanon; only the history of early Airship design. That isn't to say there aren't going to be other "intelligent" animals like Zwei, but it's all a spectrum.  
As for the Sky Pirates, not inherently inspired by Borderlands. Closer to Battle Chasers: Nightwar. In face the Airship that attacked them is the one from the game's opening sequence; or at least the same _type_.  
As for what the "Ghost Crackers" might have to be called in for… it is and _isn't _for what you think.

**Blaze1992: **That was fun though the sky-hook and blimp/sail versions of airships makes me wonder if the Bioshock city of Columbia is a possibility here?  
So much funny scenes and gore filled action, this fic has returned back to it's prime material. Though this CH gave me flashbacks to a dead cartoon called Storm Hawks which had a bike I think Yang would love.  
I am surprised Yang didn't yank him back down for a longer kiss.

**NeoNazo356:** Maybe something like Colombia (Bioshock Infinite) _could _exist; since I've brought up the Multiverse in a very roundabout way, Remnant's Colombia expy could very well be Native, or Foreign. Hadn't thought about it, but I'd love to discusss the idea more.  
As for the fic returning to its "prime material", the whole of Volume 1 was packed into a single month of in-world occurrences. Since Volume 2 of Giant-Slayer will be spanning the 2 months leading up to the Vytal Festival (in RWBY's Volume 3), I have a bit more wiggle-room to work chapters into. The very reason I made the second semester for the HiT Freshman have an on-again-off-again class to mission schedule was so there could be periods of Action and Drama, sometimes with a mix of both. As much as I'd love to, it can't be "all action all the time" because without the _context _of the interpersonal character building, the missions would be meaningless eye candy. As much as I hate to say this, it won't be all-action-all-the-time, but I _will _work in action between and _amidst _the introspection.  
As for Storm Hawks, _god _I haven't thought about that series in ages. My favorite episode, of the ones that I _did _see, was the one about the "Irreversible Gorge Madness" which I've actually referenced once or twice in Giant-Slayer Volume 1. Yang would _definitely _love the transformable bike, and because the _weapons _transform in RWBY, a Skimmer in the same mechanical context as Sky Hawks wouldn't be too far outside the realm of possibility. Hell, I might even be able to mix it into a potential Bioshock Infinite crossover.  
The Sky Hooks in-context are pirate-borne so they can use ziplines both up _and _down, in the event they have to bail from a raid. And of course, since there were no magnetizable hooks on the Pelican Lena was flying, that's why there was only one survivor of the initial boarding.  
As for Yang… She isn't like Batman who can get "combat ready" even after murdering gangsters with a bleach fire. She's able to recognize that there's a time and place for everything, and "diving back in" would've ruined the sentiment Jack was trying to convey. Plus, she recognizes that the _both _of them have their respective issues to work through, but as the previous RWBBY Chibi went on to point out, they aren't "together together", but it's a step forward. Of course, the road to _that _love story has twists, turns, obstacles, and other passengers if you catch my drift~

_***NEW WORLD***_

"This is nice, isn't it?"

"It sure is," Blake replied, enjoying the peace and quiet, book in hand.

Though it wasn't within her _own _room, Vincent's abode was a nice change of pace, the large couches allowing her to lounge in a way that her bed just couldn't provide; even with a fluffy pillow against the headboard.

And that wasn't to say that the company was by any means unpleasant either. If anything, the aloof teen reading across from her only made the ambiance and the tea he'd prepared for them all the better.

"I have to ask… What kind of books do you like to read?" Blake asked as she looked up from her camouflaged volume of NoL.

"Well… This is a little embarrassing to admit, but this 'Other World' genre just… _speaks _to me for some reason," he said peeking out from behind his own light novel with upturned eyes. "You must think I'm totally _weird_, don't you?" he asked meekly, Blake's face heating up from the combined gesture.

"N-Not at all. In fact, it kind of _suits _you," Blake replied kindly.

With how out-of-place Vincent was, it was almost like he _was _'from another world'.

Of course, the very notion of such a thing was complete nonsense.

At least as far as _she _was aware.

" . . . Hey… That dream you had last night," she said after another few minutes of silence. "What happened in it?"

"Oh… All _sorts _of stuff," he replied setting his book down. "I jump-kicked a couple guys in the face… Jack took an axe to Team Juniper's door… Jaune ran off the side of a cliff… All _sorts _of weirdness. To be _honest _though, most of it kinda blurred together, and all I have left is the _feeling _that I relived the same Saturday for a month straight. Weird, right?"

"Well, it's _your _dream, so…"

"Hey, what's _that _supposed to mean?" the odd-eyed teen pouted.

"N-Nothing! Don't worry about it!" Blake returned hastily.

" . . . Okay!" Vincent said with a bright smile, Blake sighing a sigh of relief.

The two returning to their reading, the silence was interrupted only by the sipping noises of tea, and the AC swirling around the various antiques decorating the room. The solitude growing a bit _lonely_, Blake found herself opening up to the RA once more.

"So… What do you think the deal was with all those 'trick spoons'?"

Before the odd-eyed teen could reply, there was a- _***Knock*Knock*Knock* **_-at the door.

"Excuse me for a moment," Vincent said before turning toward the door. "Who is it?"

"_Dr. Veronica. I'm a friend of Glynda's." _

"Oh, okay then. Come on in," the odd-eyed teen replied as he tapped a button on his Scroll, the deadlatch snapping open with a click.

'_Pulse Sake…! And I thought _Yang _was 'talented'…' _Blake gawped as she beheld the buxom red-head that strode into the room, the woman's sweater melons undulating tantalizingly with each step.

"So, what can I _do _for you?" Vincent asked with a tilt of his head, his eyes never dipping away from the well-endowed doctor's own; much to Blake's amazement since he kept a completely straight face what doing so.

Speaking straight, despite the fact that Blake _was _straight, she couldn't help but be tantalized by the ta-tas presented before her.

'_Then again…' _Blake hummed to herself before shaking her head with a furious blush. _'Think unsexy thoughts, think unsexy thoughts, think unsexy thoughts.'_

"Would you mind coming with me for a while? We need to conduct an in-depth… _physical_."

_***Sprt***_

"Oh my god, _Blake_! You're _bleeding_!" Vincent gaped as blood dribbled out of Blake's nose.

"Don't worry about it…" Blake said plainly, even as blood dripped into her lap.

"But-"

"_Shutupandletmehavethis!"_

"Come again?" he asked with a confused head-tilt.

"Not until the third date, loverboy," Dr. Veronica said snagging the back of his shirt with her staff and lifting him off his feet, casually striding out of the room with the RA in tow.

"Um… Okay, I guess I'll SEE YOU LATER!" Vincent yelled once he was out of sight.

"Yeah… Sure…" Blake nodded dumbly.

A moment later her imagination got away from her.

_'Dammit, brain! I said no sexy thoughts!'_

"MAKE SURE YOU LOCK UP ON THE WAY OUT!"

' _. . . Okay, that works,' _Blake shrugged.

_***NEW WORLD***_

As soon as the two of them were out of the building, Dr. Veronica flipped atop her staff and flew off sitting side-saddle, Vincent still dangling from the back end like a hobo satchel.

Suffice it to say, this made for a very odd sight as they flew across campus.

Eventually the two of them arrived at a secluded building outside the wall surrounding Beacon. The left half was shaped like a large cube, made of solid concrete with a pull-down garage-like door made of dull gray steel with chrome edging and neon blue highlights; in essence it looked like a bunker of sorts. On the right side was an octagonal-shaped building made of gold framework and opaque windows with blue lanterns scattered about, a segmented dome formed at the top; in essence, it looked like a fancy greenhouse. The two halves were joined at the rear, but all the underbrush and overgrown trees surrounding it made the bulk of the facility hard to see unless you were standing right in front of it.

"Well, no time like the present. Come along, come along, we haven't got all day," Dr. Veronica said as she set the odd-eyed teen down, entering through the pull-down door.

The _inside _of the building, while cozy and homey at a glance, looked like a lived-in pig sty mixed with a science lab. Scientific equipment of all kinds occupied every flat surface, while sheets of paper with equations of all kinds occupied every _vertical _surface. Whiteboards and blackboards were scattered about the interior as well covering every known topic, and for some reason the place smelled of fried chicken. Those without an eye for oddities would think a _trash bomb _had gone off.

The doctor's office wasn't much better off. While similar to Oobleck's-

"_Doctor!"_

-, Dr. Veronica's lab seemed more geared toward _science_, a blend of Psychology, Plasmology, and even a little Human Augmentation dominating the theme of the room.

Of course, the doctor's tagalong hadn't been memory-retentive long enough to catch… _most _of this.

"Excuse me, Dr. Veronica?" Vincent asked after they'd entered.

"Yes?"

"I noticed the placard on this desk doesn't say 'Veronica'. Did we walk into the wrong cottage in the middle of the woods by mistake?"

"No no, this is still _my _office. I just go by 'Veronica' because no-one can say my _surname _correctly," the buxom woman sighed dejectedly.

"Why? What's so hard about 'Magdanus'?"

" . . . Say that again."

"Why?"

"Because I asked you to."

"I know. Which is why I said the _word _'why'."

"Okay, say the next part."

"What's so hard about 'Magdanus'?"

"Say that last word."

"Magdanus."

"One more time for good measure."

"Magdanus?" he said confusedly.

" . . . "

" . . . "

" . . . "

" . . . ?"

"Oh happy _day_!" the fiery red-head erupted boisterously, scooping the odd-eyed teen into her arms as she danced about the room, his _odd _eyes going _wide _as she buried his face into her bosom. "I never thought anyone would _ever _articulate my name without utterly _butchering_ it! _Ah _hahahahahahaha!" she cackled gleefully.

"_Mmmm… Grrd u cn enjry ths…" _Vincent murmured.

"Oh you don't know how _vindicated _I feel!" she replied exuberantly, holding him at arm's length by the armpits. "Why, I could just _kiss _you right now I'm so happy!"

"Yes, well… thank goodness doctors aren't allowed to date patients."

"Oh… I thank an _exception _can be made~" Dr. Veronica purred, flipping the **Dr. Magdanus** placard forward and obscuring _some _evidence of her doctorate.

"Eep!"

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Well… Now that _that's _out of the way," Dr. _Magdanus_ replied with a satisfied smile as she sat at her desk, a furiously-blushing Vincent sitting across from her and slouching visibly in his seat. "About the reason I called you here."

"That _would _be prudent for me to know… yes," he returned, red as the crimson orb set into his skull.

"It's about your recent _awakening_."

"Well, I _did _sleep a little funny sooo…" he said rubbing at his neck.

"Not your _physical _awakening. Your _psychokinetic _awakening."

"My _what_-ening?" he asked confusedly.

"Didn't you find it a little _weird _that all your _spoons _this morning were bending at inopportune moment?"

"Yes, well, I just figured someone gave me a bunch of trick spoons, so…"

"_I'm not sure whether your youthful innocence is adorable or _pitiable_…" _the buxom woman sighed. " . . . No, there are no such things as 'trick spoons' that bend at the shoulder without having a blatantly-visible hinging mechanism to them."

"Well then, _how _were they bending like that?"

"I have reason to believe that a recent _sensory _experience caused your Aerokinesis to expand into the roots of its ancestral form."

"_What_-okinesis?"

"Your _air _bending. You know, that _thing _you do where your eyes glow silver and you make the wind move."

"Oh you mean _that _Aerokinesis… What was that other stuff you meant?"

"I thought you would've known about PK since you still don't have an activated _Aura_ and your Aerokinesis couldn't be anything _else_."

"Hey, I've only been memory-retentive for a little over a _month_, so cut me a little slack, _okay_?" he asked tersely.

Of course, the slouch and the blush across his face ruined what he was trying to convey.

"Fine… Fine…" Dr. Magdanus sighed, much of the vigor from the first _accurate _phonetic representation of her surname in a long time having swiftly evaporated, pleasure giving way to business. "Tell me, what do you know of… Espers?"

"Gesundheit."

"No, I didn't sneeze. 'Esper' is its own _word_."

"You mean like 'Asperger'?"

"No, Esper and Asperger are _completely _unrelated," Dr. Veronica sighed tiredly. "Esper is an umbrella term for 'Ability User' or 'Psychic'; more-specifically, Extrasensory Perception where the word 'Esper' derives its first three letters, or Psychokinesis."

"So then… Extrasensory Perception is like… a sixth sense?"

"More like a _seventh _sense. Metaphysiologists commonly accept that Instinct, also known as Intuition, is the 'sixth sense' beyond sight, smell, taste, touch, or hearing. Anything _outside _these parameters falls under the realm of ESP. Intuition still possesses a _physiological _element that can be physically observed, while Psychic abilities are more… intangible."

"And what makes you think I _have _it?"

"I've been observing you for a while now, following up on the work of my colleague, Dr. Franken Stein, after your cursory examination. He says you have an incredibly-fascinating mind and soul, and what you discussed at breakfast this morning has only proven previous conceptions we've had of you."

"Like… _what_?"

"Like the ability to sense things most-others would miss or overlook; something he and now-I accredit to the 'clarity' of your unique mind, free of any and all distractions after whatever happened to you reset it to the 'factory default'," she answered. "Or more-_prudently_… the ability to manipulate objects with your thoughts, conscious or otherwise; in other words, mind over matter. Only without it being all that vague metaphorical _hippie _stuff," Dr. Veronica elaborated. "While any person or animal with a Soul can have an activated Aura, only a very _select _number of people are either _born _as Espers, or have the ability to _become _an Esper. In addition to this, not only are ESP and PK hereditary, but it can also manifest _spontaneously_, while at the same time, a parentage of _two _Espers isn't any actual _guarantee _of inheriting psychic powers. In some ways its manifestation in an individual can be _predicted_, possibly even _manufactured_ while at others, it can be completely random."

"So then… what's all this _root _stuff you were going on about?"

"To put it simply, any supernatural power that isn't quantified by the metric of Aura or Semblance falls under the realm of Extrasensory Perception or Psychokinesis. ESP and PK are separate from Semblance in that an activated Aura isn't a prerequisite to its usage. As for this 'root' I'm referring… All Psychic abilities that fall under the realm of Psychokinesis, are all derived from the same root of PK. Elemental manipulation like your own is an 'over-specialized' form of PK curtailed toward ambient atmospheric gasses and _only _ambient atmospheric gasses. Normally when an Esper's ability becomes delineated from its core PK it can never-again attain its root form. However, similar to Aura being activated in response to an external stimulus, an Esper's psychic abilities can grow and expand tremendously when exposed to unique sensory phenomena outside the normal scope of what one experiences on a regular basis, be they naturally or artificially-induced."

"Like… having a month-straight of déjà vu while I sleep?"

"Yes… While you're _sleeping_," Dr. Veronica nodded conspiratorially.

" . . . _Okay_," Vincent shrugged. "So what do you want from _me_?"

"You… are… taking all this _exceptionally _well," Dr. Veronica stated a few moments later, surprised at how blasé he was being.

"Yeah, well… I can already make the air move about without any of that Aura stuff everyone keeps yammering on about," he said making the air twirl around his extended finger. "Next to the robot arm I don't remember getting and the scars on the _rest _of my body, what's one more magical ability under my belt?"

"Magic is completely separate from PK or ESP. But _that_… is a story for another day."

" . . . "

" . . . "

" . . . Was there supposed to be some kind of _scene _transition after that, oooor…?"

"_Hmmm… Fascinating. Exposure to temporal phenomena seems to be granting the subject an expanded awareness of multi-dimensional physics,"_ Dr. Veronica muttered to himself. "Oh, if _only _I were allowed to open you up and see what made you _tick_, ah, but then Glynda would turn me inside out like a T-shirt on laundry day."

"I did not understand… _any _of that."

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhile…

"Weiss, don't let Nora wind you up. Even if Jack and Weiss _had _been… 'exploring their interconnectivity'… I was down the hall from our room and would've heard them," Blake stated tensely.

"That reminds me… Where were _you _during all this today?" Nora asked waggling her brow.

"W-What?!" Blake gawped, finding the tables turned as all eyes fell on her, narrowed in scrutiny.

"_Yeah_, Blake. Where were _you _while all of us were out joining clubs? Who was this 'friend's' place you were _at, _huh?" Nora asked. "Were you hanging out with that ramen chef? The one with the _superpowers_?"

"You mean the RA?" Ren asked with a raised brow.

"Yes, but I was trying to be a bit more _subtle _than that," Nora pouted, hands on her hips.

"W-What does it _matter _if I hung out with him? All we did was read _books_!"

"Oh yeah?" Ruby asked with a raised brow. "What's his favorite _genre_?" she asked in an accusing tone.

"Isekai light novels."

" . . . _Oh_. Well… I wasn't _expecting _such a succinct response," Ruby admitted awkwardly in the face of Blake's without-missing-a-beat answer.

"Like. I. _Said_," Blake bit out tensely. "All we were doing was _reading_."

"Really? But you had the whole floor to _yourselves_ probably," Nora said with a confused tilt of her head.

"Well, I'm sure we can get _his _side of the story _too_," Jaune hummed.

"And why is _that_?" Blake asked.

"Because he just came into the room behind you," he said pointing over her shoulder.

"WHAT?!" Blake yelped with a flushed face.

"Hi, Blake!" the RA greeted cheerfully.

"_Snrrkt_! Dude. What're you wearing on your _head_?" Nora snickered as she pointed at his forehead.

"What, you mean _this _thing?" Vincent asked pointing to the silver circlet encircling his head, a bright emerald green gemstone in the shape of an ellipse encrusted in the middle. "Dr. Veronica asked me to wear it. Something about monitoring brainwaves."

"Yeah. _That's _why," Nora chuckled, seeing as how with that garish thing on Vincent looked like the stereotypical Isekai Yuusha.

Hell, all he was missing now was that goofy tunic, a sacred sword, and a harem of archetype-spanning ladies (traps applicable as-necessary) and he'd have the look down to a T.

"It _is _why she asked me to wear this, yes," he said adjusting it on his head. "Since she can't open me up like a grapefruit, non-invasive analysis was the next-best thing. Supposedly," he shrugged. "I dunno. Some hoopla about _Espers _or something."

"Well you _do _have _super_powers…" Nora hummed aloud.

"That's… a very good point," Vincent admitted thoughtfully.

"And you're _sure _you don't have an Aura? And Semblance?" Jaune asked morosely.

"Why don't you wave that iPad over me and find out?"

"You mean my _Scroll_?" Jaune asked, opening it up and setting the odd-eyed teen in its sights, a big red **N/A **greeting him. "Mm… Nope. No Aura. No Semblance."

"That's what I keep _telling _everyone," Vincent sighed exasperatedly.

"So then you really _do _have superpowers! Oh! Did you lose your memories fighting a supervillain?" Nora asked excitedly.

"If he _lost _his memories fighting said villain, wouldn't he not _remember _how he lost the memories he lost?" Ren returned.

" . . . That _is _a fair point," Pyrrha admitted, Weiss stroking her chin thoughtfully off to the side.

_'If the RA really doesn't have a Semblance, what _is _that power he wields? And I don't recognize that combat prosthesis he's equipped with either, even among all of the cutting-edge cybernetics that have been shown off to my family over the years,' _Weiss thought to herself, thinking back to the domestic servants who've had limbs replaced after close calls with the White Fang where they'd put their lives on the line to ensure her safety.

The times the Schnee were _directly _targeted were rather rare once it was shown they would not go down quietly, but the _indirect _assaults on their personages were all the worse.

'_It might be prudent to have company resources… _inquire_, about him,' _Weiss added, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"So… Who's hungry? All that reading really works up an… appetite," Blake said aloud, feeling the tension thickening around them.

"Sure. I could eat," Vincent shrugged.

"Oh, I _bet _you could~" Nora said waggling a brow in Blake's direction, a blush rising on the girl's cheeks at the insinuation.

_***NEW WORLD***_

" . . . You don't have to keep _looking _at yourself like that. That circlet looks _fine _on you," Jaune sighed as he looked across the table at Vincent, who'd been staring at his reflection in his spoon for the last twelve minutes.

"Sorry. Sorry," Vincent apologized. "Dr. Magdanus asked me to do some _mental exercises _where I use 'mind over matter' to make a _spoon _bend, so I can see how this might look a little vain," he said scrunching his brow in concentration.

"Really? Spoon-bending? Like a _psychic_?" Weiss asked skeptically. "That sounds like the realm of _fantasy_."

"Says the girl whose Semblance lets her raise the dead."

"My Glyphs are not _nearly _for something so profane," Weiss said Ren's way.

"Wait, can Semblance really _do _that?" Vincent asked looking up.

"Only if whoever's Semblance it is has an obsession with the _dead_," Blake hummed, thinking back to Dr. Stein's lectures on Semblance.

Semblance as a _literal _expression of the soul, could be gleaned based on the personality type of the person in question. For Ruby, her speed let her run _into _danger, or circles around her enemies. Weiss' was hereditary but Schnee through the ages chose to specialize in different 'facets' of their familial ability. Yang's ability reflected her "let the fists do the talking" attitude, and her _own _Seblance… was the power to run away…

Thought the Faunus girl somberly.

"Hm… Well, apparently those _weren't _trick spoons at breakfast this morning, but it was actually _me _bending them, even if I didn't realize it at the time," Vincent clarified.

"So you just believe everything you're told, don't you?" Weiss huffed dryly.

"How would _you _explain all the spoons bending before he could put them in his mouth? _Swamp gas_?"

"That's for _UFO _sightings, you dolt," Weiss bit back Ruby's way.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So…" Dr. Stein hummed as he sat behind Dr. Veronica in a darkened room, the busty woman sitting before a veritable wall of monitors keyed into every security camera at Ozpin's disposal in Beacon; and even some that _weren't _at "The Great & Powerful's" disposal. "The in-depth observation is set to begin I see?" he asked turning his attention to the largest monitor set in the center of all the others.

The subject of their current study: an amnesiac teen of unknown origin with profound psychokinetic abilities and a cybernetic limb of mind-numbingly vast potential.

"Yes. Provided the observation remains _non-_invasive," Dr. Veronica hummed as her eyes darted from monitor to monitor, her fingers dancing at beyond-Human speeds as come monitors displayed visual, others binary, and others still biological, biochemical, bioelectric, and so-on.

What would take an entire research team of scientists and specialists days to analyze, Dr. Veronica could do in mere moments.

Such was one of the perks of being nigh-immortal; a perk that very few could truly enjoy and capitalize on.

"Hm. A shame. I'd _love _to open up that head of his and see what makes him tick," Dr. Stein chuckled, an unlit cigarette clenched between his teeth.

"And if you tried, Glynda would turn us _both _inside out like-"

"Like a T-shirt on laundry day. I know. You've reminded me of this stipulation repeatedly," the mad doctor sighed. "Honestly, I'm surprised Glynda consented to _any _of this."

"Glynda's just-as-curious about him as we are," Dr. Veronica returned. "Of course, while _her _interests are purely for interpersonal reasons, ours are more _scientific _in nature."

"Glynda _does _seem to have become attached to the boy, which of course will go a long way in preventing him from meeting the business end of a Brain Circumcision," Dr. Stein returned. "A mother's profound love for offspring, even not of their own, should magnify Glynda's spiritual power quite a bit if anyone gets any _ideas _with the boy," he added as he watched the teen trying to bend the spoon on one screen, another showing the readout of his then-current brainwaves, while neurochemical changes were being displayed on another. "How did you even get the Nanotech for this sort of monitoring device _anyway_?"

"I may've _pinched _a unit or two out of Dr. Ziegler's belongings while we were tending to Jack Braxton's injuries. Even if she _does _notice they're gone, it's not like she can get them _back _or anything," Dr. Veronica replied, remembering how-easy it was to plant the Medical Nanotech on his cyberlimb.

It wasn't _only _because of the proper enunciation of her surname that she'd gotten so close to him.

"And you're _sure _no one besides you can trace the signal they're emitting?"

"Not unless they take him to a fully-stocked nano-tech med-lab, but by _that _point, if Atlas had gotten their hands on him they're more-likely to try milking him for every ounce of spinal fluid they can _get _out of him. And that's the _best _possible outcome."

"Atlas really has no sense for preserving their research specimens, do they?" Dr. Stein sighed tiredly, disappointed only in the fact that _he _wouldn't get a crack at such subjects as well.

"Well, when you can legally indoctrinate entire generations of aspiring Hunters in giving their bodies 'for the good of the kingdom', I can see how that kind of gross negligence would propagate," Dr. Veronica sighed tiredly as well. "It's fortunate I was able to take the bulk of my Human Augmentation research with me when I left, but Atlas was still able to put themselves decades ahead of everyone else with the scraps I wasn't able to completely destroy in time."

"You know…" Dr. Stein hummed as he changed the line of discussion. "Atlas might take _offense _to the two of us… _monopolizing_, such a valuable specimen," he said eyeing a readout of the teen's nano-tech limb. It didn't take a _rocket scientist _to figure out that his limb was made of something _more _than just T-Cogs and Foldable Frame technology.

"Well it isn't like they don't monopolize resources of their _own_, so it's not like they can complain through official channels," Dr. Veronica shrugged. "Everyone hides whatever scraps of Eldecraft they're able to conceal from one another, and since everyone _does_ do that, they know that everyone _else _does as well. In the end, it's no big secret."

"Yes, though we should remain vigilant. An openly-exposed Esper with Eldecraft grafted onto his arm… Once word gets around that he isn't just an urban legend, everyone will want a piece of him. Figuratively _and _literally."

"Well then, we'll just have to train him up so he can send any ass-pirates gunning for him _packing_."

"I hardly think its his _ass _they'll be after."

"I don't know… The boy _does _have nice muscle definition~"

"And you _wonder _why you're still single and I'm not."

"I don't care that _I'm _single. I'm still trying to get over the fact you were able to find a woman willing to let you use her uterus to gestate that clone _army_ of yours."

"A single offspring an army does not make."

"Just _one _of you is worth as much as an army, so I'm inclined to _disagree _with that sentiment."

And the banter between the two mad scientists would continue like this.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhile, back at lunch with Vincent and company…

"Well, I mean, Aura gives you forcefields, so why _can't _psychics be real?" Jaune asked in the RA's defense.

"Quiet, you. The _grownups _are talking," Weiss spat.

"No, I actually do _agree _with him," Ren stated. "The world is full of strange and unusual things that can't be explained, so Psychics being _real _isn't outside the realm of possibility."

"Hell, Weiss' Semblance is basically _magic_, isn't it?" Nora asked plainly. "I mean, with all the stuff it can do, who's to say it isn't just Magic in _disguise_?" she asked as she counted off fingers.

"My Semblance can be numerically _quantified_."

"Which means your ruse is so _convincing_!" Nora insisted, causing Weiss to tiredly palm her face, dragging her hand down her visage.

"How on Remnant do you put _up _with her?"

"Years of practice, and _patience_," Ren answered sagely.

"My condolences."

"Hey uh… Ren. Thanks for sticking up for me."

"I was sticking up for the _truth_. Not for you."

"Oof! Still in the dog house, _huh _Jaune?" Nora winced.

"There there, Jaune. This can't last forever. You just need to give Ren a little time," Pyrrha said kindly, a hand on his shoulder.

"A little time to do _what_? _Settle_?" Weiss asked venomously. "Honestly, I'm surprised _you're _so nonchalant about this. Don't you realize Jaune is nothing but _dead weight _to you?"

"Wow, just _lay on into me _why don't ya?" Jaune whimpered pitiably.

"Yes, well, Jack isn't here and no-one else on my team has the stomach to say what needs to be said, so _someone _has to say it," Weiss huffed back. "And what did I say about not talking to me?"

At this, Jaune resembled the puppy that'd met the business end of someone's left shoe.

"Can you guys keep it down? I wanna see him bend the spoon with his _mind_~" Ruby awed as she stared intently at the spoon in Vincent's hand, completely disregarding everything going on around her.

"Well at least _you're _having a good time," Weiss sighed before turning her gaze to the implement in the RA's hand, his food largely undisturbed. "So… _Where _did you say you were from again?"

"Don't know."

"_Tch."_

"Hm?"

"Nothing. Go back to your spoon-bending."

"Sure, sure," Vincent sighed, turning his attention back to his exercise.

His brainwaves undulating within the confines of the circlet around his head, the amnesiac teen's oddly-colored eyes narrowed at the utensil in his hand, his brow furrowing in concentration. Sweat beading on his brow, Vincent continued to elevate the concentration he put into the spoon before him, his desire to live up to other people's expectations of him after he'd been given so much spurring him onward. More and more focus honed on the object he was attempting to manipulate, not an ounce of shame in his countenance for what others might think of him based on appearances, he failed to notice his hair beginning to stand on end, coming alight across the platinum-colored strands.

"Um… Vincent…" Blake said nudging the teen's shoulder. "I think you need to _see _this," she said as she and the others gaped upward.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhile…

"Hmmm… Does this feed not have audio?" Dr. Stein hummed from behind his coffee.

"It does, but I don't need it at the moment," Dr. Veronica answered. "I'm _definitely _getting some good data out of this," she said turning her attention to another readout, this one featuring a brainwave analysis as a simulacrum of his neurotransmitter network was established.

"Even if he _does _look completely ridiculous."

"At least it doesn't look like anything Dr. _Brown _concocted in his garage."

"What was that?" Dr. Stein asked as a blur of movement rushed behind Vincent.

"I don't know… Let me zoom out a little."

"And put the audio back on."

" . . . ?"

"Just a gut feeling."

Dr. Veronica looking at her fellow mad scientist with a raised brow, eventually the woman acquiesced. The moment the feed zoomed out and the Audio was activated…

"Omigod! Everything's _floating_!"

"It's the Beacon Poltergeist!"

"Someone call the Ghost Crackers!"

"I DON'T WANNA DIIIIIE!"

The long and short of it was that everyone was losing their collective fecal excrement as silverware levitated in the air all around, bending, twisting, and warping into all sorts of shapes.

"He's so-focused on the spoon he's still skeptical about bending with his mind… that he's completely unaware his psychokinetic power is spilling out in all directions…" Dr. Veronica gaped, blinking owlishly at the sight beheld to her.

"Well… At least this won't be hard to cover _up_," Dr. Stein said gratefully. "Still, perhaps we were a bit… _overzealous_, in attempting to cultivate further psychokinetic development so-soon."

"You _think_?" Dr. Veronica asked as the occupants of the mess hall continued to panic. "Still, even if this _is _an easy cover-up for right-_now_, if this kind of occurrence repeats itself with him in the middle of it, whatever spies the other three Kingdoms have in Beacon will catch on, and he could become a target sooner rather than later."

"So you really suspect there are spies mixed in with the students?"

"Isn't that what it's like with _every _Hunter Academy, in _every _Kingdom?" Dr. Veronica asked sarcastically.

"That was a _rhetorical _question. Of _course _I know there're spies."

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhile…

"HOLY CRAP IN A _BASKET_!" Nora gawped as she whirled around, staring gob-smacked at the floating utensils dangling in the air as though gravity had fucked off to go fishing.

"Oh my gosh! Ghosts are real _too_!?" Ruby gaped.

"There's no such thing as _ghosts_!" Weiss cried out.

"Says the _ghost_-summoner."

"That's enough out of you too!" Weiss snapped Blake's way.

"Um… guys…? Don't you think we should be… you _know_… RUNNING FOR OUR LIVES?!" Jaune shrieked as a spoon directly overhead twisted irreparably out of shape.

"That _would _be prudent, yes," Pyrrha nodded.

"Ladies first," Ren offered.

"Why thank you, kind sir. So chivalrous and gentlemanly and some _third _thing that ends with 'manly'~" Nora said in a posh voice before picking up Vincent by the seat of his pants and screaming- "WOMEN AND CHILDREN _FIRST_!" -as she bolted out of the mess hall with cargo in tow, a veritable _tidal wave _of panicked students flooding out of the cafeteria doors, and a few windows.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhile…

"Well…" Dr. Stein hummed as the standing population of the mess hall steadily declined to zero. "_Glynda _certainly won't be happy about the mess."

"Which is why _she _won't find out we had a hand in _any _of this."

"_Ahem_!"

"Ohhhhh crap…" Dr. Veronica wilted as she mechanically turned her head around, viewing the silhouette of an irate Glynda framed against the doorframe, the lenses of her glasses glinting ominously as she beheld both them, and the surveillance network voyeuristically ogling her adopted son.

Even if Glynda _herself _didn't see it as such.

"Ummm… We can explain."

"For _your _sakes…" _***THWACK!* **_"…it'd better be a good one," Glynda said snapping out her riding crop against the palm of her hand, the two grown scientists whimpering under the woman's intense gaze.

"We… uh…"

"We were overzealous in attempting to cultivate his latent psychokinetic power," Dr. Veronica said getting her wits about her first, gesturing to the monitor feed.

"Also, _Ozpin _did it," Dr. Stein said, self-preservation urging him to pass the book by any means possible.

"_What_… do you _mean_?" Glynda asked tersely.

"Ozpin's fast-and-loose attitude was the _catalyst _for Vincent's 'second awakening'," Dr. Veronica said adjusting her glasses. "Of course, you'd never get a confession out of _him_ about it; he still _outranks _you and isn't obligated to tell you _everything_. Even _with _that little 'secret club of yours'."

At that last statement Glynda froze.

"Ozpin isn't as-subtle as he thinks, and _my _superior is aware of the _very_ dangerous game he's playing," Dr. Stein saw fit to add. "Even if Dr. Veronica and I had done nothing, an incident such as this was _bound _to occur eventually."

"The only difference from doing nothing is that by getting _ahead _of it, we've been able to close the gaps in the data we need to explain Vincent's condition in a more _satisfactory _measure," Dr. Veronica said pulling a readout from the monitors.

"How does that, and _this_, relate?" Glynda demanded as she gestured to a video feed showing students pouring out of the mess hall through every exit; both established and improvised.

"The brainwaves he began putting out once his focus on his given exercise heightened allowed me to get the kind of in-depth scan of his brain that cursory, non-invasive examinations couldn't, and the acquisition of this much-needed data only occurred _because _of this 'outburst'," Dr. Veronica explained. "In fact, I think we can close the book on this issue for good; for better or worse."

" . . . You mean his _amnesia_," Glynda said connecting the dots.

"Yes. Whether or not you _tell _the boy… will be up to you."

"And why _wouldn't _I tell him?"

"Because the conclusion I've drawn from this data proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he _can't _get his old memories back. Not beyond whatever dregs he's able to scrape together at-present."

"_Explain_," Glynda demanded.

"Of course," Dr. Veronica sighed, rising from her seat.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Tea? Coffee?" Dr. Veronica offered, the three of them sitting in Dr. Veronica's greenhouse.

"The _point_?" Glynda offered with a glare.

"Yeesh. Touch_y!" _Dr. Veronica flinched back. "No _wonder _you're still single."

"Rrrrr."

"I mean, even _Stein _managed to tie the not, and _he's _a complete _nutcase_."

"I'm _not _a 'nutcase'. I'm a high-_functioning_ 'nutcase'."

"RRRRRRRRR!"

"Okay, okay, don't get your _stockings _in a twist," Dr. Veronica said adjusting her glasses, before drawing out a Beacon yearbook onto the table. "For the sake of making everything crystal clear to you, _t__hese_, are Vincent's memories; in a _pre_-amnesiac state. The memories within are clear and crisp," she said flipping through the pages, revealing countless captured moments of semester past. "As for what caused his _current _predicament…" she said leaving the book lying open, lighting a match before tossing the whole book into the centerfold, causing Glynda to flinch back as smoke and ash belched upward. "The forbidden technique known as [Soul Malice], which has the ability to completely and utterly destroy a soul to its core… Something _similar _was done to Vincent's soul in the past."

A moment later a carton of bleach was emptied over the burning pages, courtesy of Dr. Stein who did so without batting an eye.

"_These… _are his memories in a _post_-amnesiac state," she said as she waved her staff over the book, the end glowing as she drew away the moisture leaving only a charred wreck behind. "As you can clearly see, a great deal of the memories have been completely destroyed, whereas those that _remain_…" she said turning to an intact page; relatively speaking.

"The memories that _haven't _been destroyed have been bleached clean?" Glynda asked, following the metaphor.

"Correct," Dr. Veronica replied. "If we assume the damage was caused by a single individual, then this can only be considered an act of cruelty of the greatest magnitude. Not only were a great deal of his memories destroyed, but those that _remained _were heavily diluted, making recovery of these memories… impossible."

"On the other hand, if we treat this as the work of _two _individuals, the first may've tried to destroy his soul in its entirety, while the second may've been attempting to _save _it," Dr. Stein hummed.

"Regardless of whichever scenario is factual, the fact remains…" Dr. Veronica trailed off.

" . . . His memories can never _return_," Glynda said somberly.

"That is the conclusion we have drawn. While bits and pieces of his original memories, his original _self_, still exist within him, the damage done to them is irreparable. _Permanent_," Dr. Veronica said as slender fingers sifted through the ash. "While it _is _possible for him to regain _some _vestiges of his past memory… no matter how hard he tries, those memories will be incomplete," she said holding up a scrap of paper, charred at the edges and any color that remained bleached away.

"As a consequence of this, of his mind being _emptied_, without all of that 'excess' barring its path, his latent psychokinetic abilities at the core of his air bending prowess has been given free reign to come to the forefront," Dr. Stein added. "The boy can still make _new _memories, make a _new _sense of self… but the person he was before is _lost _to him," Dr. Stein said with finality, laying the following yearbook atop the ruins of the old. "I'm sorry, but even with my [Soul Surgery], even with all of my knowledge and expertise… this is the only possible outcome. Any further tinkering would only damage his spirit further; at the absolute best he'd be rendered into a vegetative state with no overall improvement to his condition."

"I see…" Glynda returned somberly. Dr. Veronica and Stein were the word's foremost experts on Plasmology, so even if she sought out a second opinion, all she'd get is further confirmation, or flawed information for what she knew to be true since, despite their eccentricities, they were truly the best-of-the-best in Remnant; even if they _were _considered 'complete nutballs'. " . . . How do I _tell _him?"

"You could just be _upfront _with him. The boy has already anticipated the possibility that his memory loss is permanent; the very reason he's trying to make a new life for himself at Beacon," Dr. Veronica explained.

"_Or_, you could be needlessly cruel to him, give him a false sense of hope that he could regain what he had lost," Dr. Stein added dryly. "Honestly, I think Marie would side with Veronica on this. The boy has the right to know, and dragging your heels on this decision will only stunt his growth ever further."

"But more-importantly, if you tell him that his memory loss is _conclusively _permanent, then you can get ahead of anyone that might want to take _advantage _of his amnesiac state," Dr. Veronica hummed.

"What do you mean?" Glynda asked.

"Let's say for example that someone comes up to him saying 'hey I know you', and tries to fill his head with ideas."

"And what if someone who _is _from his past comes forward?" Glynda postulated, countering Stein's hypothesis. "What if this someone is _legitimate_?"

Unlikely since Ozpin had turned over every stone he could in pursuit of the truth, but a possibility nonetheless.

"Well, even if a legitimate person from his past _did _try to jog his memory, even had some sort of proof that eluded us, all they'd be doing is telling stories about one stranger to _another _stranger," Dr. Stein answered.

"If you swap the yearbook in the visual metaphor for a photo album, the previous point still holds true. Even if someone else has identical photos, identical 'memories', there won't be any album slots for those memories to _go_," Dr. Veronica added. "Even if the 'photos' were the same, the 'camera' would be different, and the difference in perspective would make any stories about his past-self just that. Stories."

"It'd be _great _if someone from his past _could _come forward, clarify what-exactly happened to him and if we need to be on our guard for someone erasing souls at random or with intent, but the fact remains that there's no 'soft reboot' option for this. The slate has been wiped clean, and that's just something _all _of us will have to live with; not just him," Dr. Stein concluded.

"I see… I guess I have a lot to think about," Glynda said with a tired sigh, getting to her feet and leaving with a hurried step.

It was only after Glynda was out of sight _and _hearing range, that the two mad scientists let out the breath they'd been holding, Glynda's ire with _them _instead replaced by the motherly concern she held for her latest charge.

A new weakpoint to be sure… But also a wellspring of great and terrifying power…

_***NEW WORLD***_

It went without saying that lunch ended _prematurely _that day.

With the most-widely-confirmed sighting of "The Beacon Poltergeist" to occur in _years_, the various clubs that dealt with the supernatural and the occult had gathered together in the mess hall swiftly after it'd been vacated; some would even say "abandoned like a ghost town".

Some had a pure-hearted interest in communicating with the poltergeist that was said to watch over Beacon and those who dwelled within her. Others, a desire to elevate the prestige of their clubs by accrediting what had occurred to the poltergeist with some means of tangibility.

Of course, the raise to their yearly budget, was _also _of concern.

Glynda for her part _earned _her overtime pay that day, as not only did she have to scrape up whatever students had been trampled to near-death _and _repair the furniture _and _the windows, she also had to un-twist/bend/warp _countless _eating utensils.

Suffice it to say, no-one caused any trouble for her for the rest of the day.

And one of the most-interesting days Beacon had had for a good while.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Dinnertime that evening was a rather _interestinig _affair.

Because so-many students had been thrust into a paranoid frenzy by something that couldn't be brushed off as "group hysteria" or "a shared hallucination" given the event had occurred at peak lunchtime occupancy, most of Beacon avoided the mess hall like the plague, refusing to go anywhere _near _the place for fear of ghostly possession; or some such quote/unquote "nonsense" as detractors of the supernatural would call it.

The fact that a Haunting of Geist had been spotted in the Emerald Forest by the Survey Corps and stories of it had already begun to circulate, did more than its fair share to smother the mutterings of the skeptics.

For this reason, to ensure that no-one went to bed _hungy_ that evening, the faculty had been forced to wheel out the evening meal to the surrounding couryard. Between setting up enough tables for the buffet, pulling out the kerosene heaters for the food, and wheeling out all the dishes and silverware needed, many hands were needed for this task.

Such was where Glynda found her latest charge, the weight of what she had to tell him weighing heavily on her shoulders.

"Vincent, could you come with me a moment?"

"Sure. Let me just set this… down," he said with a grunt as he set down a box of clean dishes down at the start of the buffet line. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Vincent. I have something…_difficult_, to tell you," Glynda said as she led him away from the potluck going on.

"What's wrong?" Vincent asked as he followed, an innocent tilt of his head causing Glynda's heart to lurch in her chest.

"I… I have your test results back."

"But I haven't _taken _my GEDs yet."

"Not… _those _test results…" Glynda bit out, finding it harder and harder each passing second to do what she was about to do. "Do you… remember what you've been told about your amnesia?"

"Yeah. That there's a chance I might get my memories back, or not at all," Vincent shrugged. "Apparently it could go one way or the other."

"It… can only go one way, unfortunately…"

"Well, don't leave me in suspense. What did the tests say?" he asked excitedly.

"Your… Your memories _won't_ be coming back," Glynda said after a pause, the words like poison on her tongue.

" . . . Okay," Vincent returned after a moment.

"O-Wha-O_kay_?!" Glynda asked in shock at his straight answer.

"Well, _yeah_, I mean, I figured I'd either get them back eventually, or not at all. Glad to have a little closure on this," Vincent replied, a smile on his face.

Of course, even though she'd only known him a short time, Glynda could tell that _this _smile, unlike all the others, was false.

Was this the _first _time he'd made such a false smile?

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm needed elsewhere. These dirty dishes aren't going to bus _themselves _you know," Vincent returned with a smile, turning on his heel and jogging off before Glynda could stop him.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Nodoka Miyazaki wouldn't consider what she was doing "stalking". Stalking implied negative connotations such as observing a person without their consent in a very creepy fashion with ulterior motives in mind.

No, if any of her roommates asked her what she was doing, she'd say she was keeping an eye on him while-at-the-same-time giving him the space he so-clearly needed at aforementioned point in time.

When Glynda had guided him away from the busser line, her steps rigid, it didn't take a mind-reader to know she had bad news on her thoughts.

That the news she had to tell him was bad was clearly evident by the pained look on her face as she relayed it to him. For _his _part, Vincent seemed to take whatever he'd been told in stride, going back to the busser line to lend a helping hand.

Only… That wasn't what he did.

Instead of returning to the busser line he'd ran off as soon as he was out of Glynda's sight. His arm going up to his face, tears spilled out of his eyes as he ran into the night air, Nodoka nervously clutching her notebook as she ran after him.

It didn't take a mind-reader to know what _he _was feeling.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Velvet Scarlatina wouldn't consider what she was doing "stalking" _either_.

Sure, he'd jumped out a window to save her after she'd been shoved out by Jack's old teammates, taken the brunt of the _fall _for her, but Coco, ever the skeptical one, said Vincent could easily be faking it to get into her panties. "Bunny girls" were one of the leading "lewd guy fantasies" after all.

It was actually pretty easy to quote/unquote "stalk" someone as long as you had a camera in hand yet were being _open _about it, because it could just-as-easily be interpreted as "photography for photography's sake". That she took pictures of _other _things beyond her primary subject helped sell it all the more, something most stalkers who didn't want to be _seen _as stalkers neglected to contemplate.

For a Human, it'd be difficult at twilight to spot someone actively hiding themselves in the shadows. For a _Faunus_, to hide from them in the darkness was almost impossible.

It was one thing to hear about the boy you potentially fancied having an admirer, but to actually _see _it had Velvet feeling emotions she hadn't thought herself _capable _of feeling. She knew deep down that Vincent wasn't "hers"; with the Faunus' storied history with slavery, that kind of sentiment in relation to a spouse only manifested in the most _toxic _of Faunus relationships. However, to see that another girl was pining for him, it raised her hackles quite a bit.

She didn't even know she _had _hackles!

All that aside, with her enhanced senses she was able to hear the words Glynda had exchanged with him, and after hearing how his original memories _weren't _coming back, her heart went out to him.

Yatsuhashi's own Semblance, [Memory Wipe], dealt with memory loss too, but any memories _he _erased would come back on their own, and the only memories he could _permanently _erase were of the _trivial _nature. To know that Vincent's lost memories _wouldn't _come back, no matter what he did or how long he waited… She couldn't imagine the kind of hurt he must've been feeling right now, to have genuine confirmation of that fact.

Like the shy bookish girl trailing after him, Velvet followed as well, but from the high road since she had a greater amount of verticality. People rarely ever looked "up" so it was actually a very effective means of trailing someone, even if you weren't actively concealing yourself.

Her pursuit eventually took her to the edge of campus by the wall surrounding Beacon, the trickle of tears down his face devolving into full-blown waterfalls.

And those weren't the tears of an acting course student saying-_"I don't wanna go_… _I don't wanna go_…_" _-in their heads to make fake tears come out. These were _real _tears, of _real _anguish, as genuine sadness poured out of him like a burst dam. Most-everyone in the Hunter course was so _sure _of themselves, so self-confident that they'd never bring themselves to let such an outburst of emotion show, so to see someone with such a bright smile "ugly cry" like this… It shocked the Faunus girl to her core.

She kinda felt like she was _intruding_, seeing a side of himself he didn't want anyone to see.

_"Why_…?_" _she heard him mutter, hands pressed against the wall to support himself. _"I knew things might've turned out this way_… _so why does it still hurt so much?__" _he asked as he clutched at his chest, a pained squeal leaving his lips as he fell to his knees, sobs wracking his body. _"Whyyy_… _Whyyywhyyywhyyywhyyywhyyy…?"_

The wail of anguish to follow hit them like a knife to the gut, and this-far out, only she and the bookworm trailing him as well were able to hear it.

Not unless someone was living in the abandoned dorm nearby, at least.

_***CRACK***_

_'What?' _Velvet thought as her ears twitched.

_***CRACK*CRICK*CRACK***_

_'What was that?'_

Activating the light on her Scroll, the Faunus girl's eyes went wide as splits began appearing in bark, masonry cracked, and rivets broke. With Vincent at the epicenter, his hair slightly alight in the darkness, an epiphany occurred to her.

_'That wasn't the Beacon Poltergeist_ at _all!' _she gaped to herself. _'It was all _him_!'_

And of course, it didn't take the two of them long to realize that his emotions spilling out was the cause of what was happening now.

That a Murder of Nevermore was beginning to gather in the distance only made matters worse.

Before either of the not-a-stalkers could go out to him, an unknown third party beat them to it; a long-tailed cat with large yellow eyes, bushy ear tips, purple fur, and a round silver bauble dangling from its neck.

The long-tailed cat mewling cutely, pawing at the sobbing teen's side, looked up at him with large innocent eyes. The odd-eyed teen sniffing loudly and running his sleeve across his nose, blinked the last of the tears from his eyes as the long-tailed cat continued to beg for attention, the aura around his hair dimming. With one last sniffle and one last blink, Vincent turned to the side just in time for the cat to jump into his lap, purring loudly as it rubbed its head against the underside of his jaw.

_"Aw, hey there little guy-"_

_"HSSSS!"_

_"-I mean girl!"_

_"Nyaaa~"_

_"What're_ you _doing out here all by yourself?_" Vincent asked in an uplifted tone. To Velvet's surprise, the Nevermore began to break off, losing all interest.

_"Nyanya~ Nyanyanyanya."_

_"Yeah, I can't understand a word of that," _Vincent said bashfully, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.

_"Nya. Nya nya."_

_"I guess in the end I don't really need to," _Vincent hummed, a shiver running up his and the cat's spines. _"Come on. Let's get you inside."_

_"Nyaaaan~"_

As Vincent walked off, his feline companion in tow, cradled in his arms, the two not-a-stalkers shared a similar thought.

_'He's going to be okay.'_

_***NEW WORLD***_

Much later that evening…

"I wonder…" Ozpin hummed atop his tower, the events that occurred hundreds of feet below a world away. "Did I do the right thing… Alkazar?" he asked aloud as he gently stroked an ancient leather-bound tome, runic symbols surrounding the silhouette of a half-empty hourglass embossed on the cover. The pages once a pristine white had become tremendously-yellowed with age, but even still thrummed with tremendous power; even as the case was replaced time and time again.

Alkazar's greatest wish, after he'd scattered his notes across the Crescent Isle, was for someone both worthy and _appreciative _to find his work. And while part of that dream was also that the culmination of his life's work be put to good use, the long-aged man couldn't help but wonder…

_***Knock*Knock*Knock***_

The silver-haired man's thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of metal rapping against glass. Whirling around in his seat, Ozpin saw the 'talented' visage of Dr. Veronica standing across from him, feet planted atop her staff like a broomstick.

The woman looking at him with cool eyes that narrowed upon seeing the book over his shoulder, Ozpin had _some _idea of what the woman was there for, and so, with a tap of his cane onto the floor, a new set of clockwork whirred, the panoramic-view window sliding open just-enough for the expert on emotional energy, Qualia, and "Witches" to fly into the room. Circling around his desk before sitting across from him atop her levitating staff, the woman crossed one ankle over the other, her arms going under her bosom as she looked at him, then-again to the tome at his desk, before going back up to him once more.

"Ozpin. Dusting that old tome off once _again _I see."

"Dr. Veronica, what can I do for-"

"Are you out of your damn _mind_?" the red-head demanded. "Do you know what happened the _last _time you used that spell so frivolously?"

"I'm sure you'll tell me _anyway_-"

"War. _War_ happened the last time you used that spell," she said jabbing a finger accusingly at the book. "Entire _nations _fought over that accursed tome, King Vaneer the first of many to lose everything in pursuit of it. You should've _destroyed _it after C'drall had been slain, but no… No, you took it _with you _from the Crescent Isle, passing it down to yourself over and over and _over_ again like some sick _joke_."

"Is there a _point, _or should I just skip to the end?" Ozpin asked as his fingertips went to split the pages open, only for the doctor's staff to leave her grasp by its own power, twirling through the air before suddenly shooting downward, the pommel pinning his hand to his clockwork desk, barring the opening of the ancient tome.

"When all other motives cease to be relevant, the only thing worth fighting over… is _time_… And now that you've awakened Alkazar's final spell once-more, anyone and everyone who covets it will be coming for it. The Hypocritical Demon Hunter, the Forever-Scorned Maiden of Darkness, the Apostles in Heaven, the Gluttonous Sin… And that isn't even _counting _all the _Espers _you might've created if anyone were to actually _notice_, even if only _subconsciously_, what was going on around them. What on Earth could've _possessed _you to do something so _foolish_?"

" . . . I was righting a wrong."

"Yes, a wrong that _your _blatant favoritism _created_. I, and everyone _else _on the staff, have known for a long time that you like to play fast and loose with your position as Headmaster since you have tenure, but all this? For that boy?" she asked incredulously. "I get that he's an _Arc_, the pedigree of his bloodline speaks for itself; but why _him _instead of his only other sibling to show an _interest_ in becoming a Hunter?"

"Aurelia Nike Arc was progressing well through her studies where she was. There was no need to _uproot _her from her place at West Academy."

"And _yet_… you did the exact same thing with that silver-eyed girl you'd taken such a fancy to; the daughter of that woman with the same eyes _you _let down."

At this, Ozpin flinched.

He'd walked _right _into _that _one.

"What? Did you think you could 'do better' the second time around?" Dr. Veronica asked incredulously. "Did it never occur to you that taking her out of Combat School two years early might do more _harm _to her in the long run than good? It's an absolute _miracle _that hers and Dr. Asimov's son's Qualia were still able to _resonate _with one another despite your… _abduction _of her future. There was really no reason to bring her to Beacon so-early other than pure self-indulgence. Of course, the Semblance is a reflection of your innermost _self_, so of _course _you'd be this selfish," she said looking down her nose at him with a knowing smirk on her face, Ozpin's knuckles whitening as he fought against the staff pinning his hand down and his eyes narrowing ever-so-slightly. "Let me make something clear. You can move your little toy soldiers around like pawns on a board all you want; it was _their _choice to sign their lives over to you. But if you think _Glynda _will let you 'use up' her surrogate offspring as you sit here in your tower, spinning your wheels as mankind remains Ignorant and Enslaved, well…" A dry chuckle passed her lips. "You've got another thing coming."

"I'll be sure to keep the safety of her son well in mind," Ozpin returned, letting a kinder chuckle of his own go free. "Is that all you had to say?"

"Hmph. I can see you'll have to be disciplined _again_," Dr. Veronica sighed as she recalled her staff to her hand, tiredly shaking her head. "The next time your _time _comes, you may not be as fortunate as you have been these past centuries."

"Well… As long as you can be born again, isn't it alright to die every once in a while?" he asked smugly.

"I can see why Glynda has so-much pent-up _stress_, dealing with someone like you. You're really no better than a spoiled child," Dr. Veronica sighed as she whirled on her heel and turned her back to him, one arm held palm-forward while her staff drew a circle in the air. "Just don't be surprised when someone comes for that book and they don't take '_no_' for an answer," she said as a whirling trail of sparks gave way to a doorway, the woman stepping through before it snapped shut, leaving Ozpin to his own devices once more.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**AN:  
Originally when I introduced Dr. Veronica (Stella Glow) into ****Giant-Slayer**** I didn't **_**know**_** what her last name was since the game never really covered it, but after learning the eccentricity of her surname, I decided to have it be that the reason she goes by "Dr. Veronica" instead of "Dr. Magdanus" is because everyone pronounced her name "Mag-dan-us" instead of the way I envision it in my head as "Ma-donn-us".**

**All the talk about Espers was because between Aura representing the "Soul" and Appetite Energy/Doriki representing the "Body", to complete the trifecta of Mind/Body/Soul, I needed to put in an actual **_**mind**_**-based power, and introducing PK/PSI as a tangible "resource" in the Fanon only made the most sense.**

**As for Vincent… I figured now would be as-good a time as any to close the book on **_**that **_**part of his arc once and for all. His memories are gone, nothing can be done about it, so all that's left for him to do is "keep moving forward". There'll still be scraps in his "yearbook", but his nanotech arm has a longer memory than _he _does, and is set to become a plot point later on.**

**As for all that ominous stuff at the **_**end**_**… Foreshadowing~**

**And also hint of future crossover, but mostly _foreshadowing~_**


	22. Guilt Gilded Gold

**GreyWing44: **...What the frick!? Now I'm not sure what that last part was from but I really wanna know. Sounds familiar. The book at least?  
And I didn't see espers coming in. Hopefully it'll be a good addition, but I would think so. Maybe it'll be from Zettai Karen Children? God I loved that one. But who knows.  
Also I was hoping for Halloween foreshadowing! The headless Grimm or the living jack-o'-lantern...Welp. always next time.

**NeoNazo356: **I've left a few hints as to the origins of the spell, but the name "Alkazar" is a HUGE spoiler, for those that know niche. _*Cough* _Indie Games _*Cough*_  
Well, when you have Aura/Soul, and Appetite Energy/Body, having a Mind-based power source only makes sense, as I explained. Since [Silver Eyes] are _independent _of Aura/Semblance, and Faunus abilities are basically Superpowers (especially following the vein of Toriko), it only makes sense that Aura isn't the be-all-end-all, but one of _many _"power sources" that people can _choose _to draw strength from. Hell, Senjutsu is just as much self-hypnotism as it is body manipulation. Don't know about Zettai Karen Children, but the whole ESP/PK thing is a _generalized _format, not character-specific to any franchise, though I _have _left hints about future character cameos, subtle as they are.  
As for a Halloween thing… Maybe a RWBBY Chibi holiday special?

**Blaze1992: **So I guess it was a Banzai run instead of Kamikaze one? **(Chapter 20)**

**NeoNazo356: **Yeah, I guess you could say that.

**Blaze1992: **Wait what happened between him and the Doc?  
Kissing only or more?  
Hmm well if you do add in the BS cities here's hoping the cast can deal with the madness/gore of those cities.  
I wonder why no one made a crossover between RWBY and Storm Hawks since both have tech/weapons that not only fold but also powered by a crystalline energy propellant. **(Chapter 21)**

**NeoNazo356: **She smothered him in kisses, except for on the lips, as thanks for getting her name right. Because of his _naivete_ however, even _that _is enough to make him red-faced and/or "slouch".  
Since the previous time this came up, I now have a plan set for Bioshock Infinite's Columbia. Won't say for _when _or _what_, only that I intend for it to be a real "war of the worlds" kinda deal.  
Plans are already in place to have Skyskimmers be part of the Remnant meta. Between the Transformation, crystalline energy sources, and floating island, I'm surprise _no one _has made a Storm Hawks crossover. I've seen a _few _episodes of it, but not _enough _to faithfully represent it, so don't expect to see any characters beyond the purest of cameos.

**TM11: **Lol, this was funny, though I think it would be better if you put it as a separate story from Giant Slayer. Just my opinion. Nonetheless, it seems we found something Jack isn't good at: kamikaze runs.

**NeoNazo356: **Jack can't be good at _everything_. His failures and his shortcomings (and the fact that _he _admits there are people stronger than him who he aspires to become strong-_enough _to defeat someday) I _hope _portray him as "not being OP". The only reason he's stronger than his peers of equivalent age is because he hasn't been "cruising through Easy Mode"; this is based on Qrow's famous line after he whooped Yang's butt at a videogame concerning the world outside of Beacon.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Apparently, news travels fast because as soon as Yang made it back to her dorm, she was immediately besieged by her sister and the curious members of Team JNPR, wondering just _how _she got wrapped up in the seizure of a Sky Pirate airship.

Even though it was one of those things you had to "tilt your head and squint" for, you could still _see _it; even if you had to tilt your head and squint.

With no other recourse than to spill the beans, at least after explaining Jack's absence by letting Ruby know he _hadn't _been hospitalized, _again_, Yang began regaling them with tales of their fight against the raiders of the sky.

Suffice it to say, by the time Jack and Yang assaulted the raider vessel directly, the others were on the edge of their seats; Ruby and Nora in particular. Sure, Weiss and Blake _looked _composed, but the blond could tell they were hanging on her every word as well.

"And then the two of us punched him in the face with a baseball-inspired _one_-liner and sent that fat SOB _flying_!" Yang finished.

"I still can't believe you called that combo '_Sunny_ Badger'," Weiss deadpanned.

"Hey, 'Sunny Badger' is a _kickass _combo name!" Ruby yelped.

"And _then _what happened?" Blake asked, not wanting to weather another of Ruby and Weiss' famous "old married couple" arguments concerning combo names.

"Lena hooked up the airship to the winch and we took back the _spoils _of _war_," Yang said with a cheeky grin, hands interlaced behind her head. "Of course… since some of that stuff might be _stolen _we couldn't just loot everything that wasn't nailed down and line our own pockets."

"Aww what a _rip_!" Nora whined.

"Behave," Ren sighed.

"So all you have to show for it is _that_?" Jaune asked pointing at Yang's arm.

"Yep! Got a new kickass shot-gauntlet out of it," Yang said with a grin as she held up the Two-Step Goodbye. "Thing kicks like a mule on steroids but _damn _does it have stopping power."

"Sooo… Is Jack going to _keep _your other Ember Celica or what?" Ruby asked, the door opening a moment later.

"I'm pretty sure it's just a loaner since she couldn't fit _both _on the same wrist."

"Jack, you're back!" Ruby beamed as the Faunus came in. "Yang was just telling us about-"

"I know. _Ngh!_ I was there," Jack grumbled, his right arm hanging lazily in a sling.

"Yow, what happened to _you_?" Nora winced.

"If you were actually paying attention, you'd remember that he broke his arm after two usages of the Two-Step Goodbye," Ren stated, since as-usual Nora was off in her own little world.

"To be fair, it was an _old _break that broke. It wasn't a _new _one," Jack said rolling his hand. "You don't have to worry about me, though. I'm a fast healer, and this isn't the _first _time I've worked around a broken arm. _Rgh!_" he winced again, his free hand going to the back of his head.

"I don't _remember _any of the Sky Pirates getting a clean shot at the back of your head. You wanna tell me what happened?" Yang asked.

" . . . "

_***Flashback***_

Following Jack and Yang's trip to the Bounty Office, where they deposited their satchels of severed human heads for identification and reward dispersal, the two of them parted ways; Yang went on ahead to Vale, while Jack simply told her he had an errand to attend to in-town and he'd catch up with them later.

Making his way to the Vault of Glass nightclub, a cue had just scarcely begun to form as the sun began its descent; likely by those who had the patience to wait until the late evening where things _really _got hopping. There wasn't anything in the club rules _against _this, it was a common tactic for getting into the higher-end clubs, you just had to have the patience to wait it out, and the deep pockets to keep you occupied in the interim.

With his VIP access, Jack got past the cue with little fanfare, mainly because the bouncer recognized him at a glance and didn't ask for ID.

After the last would-be impersonator had gotten found out by Miltia and gotten a free orchiectomy courtesy of Melanie's stiletto heel for his troubles, it became common knowledge that to impersonate that _particular _VIP was only to be done at one's own peril.

There weren't any dancers yet, just a few couples getting cozy in the wall-side booths and higher floors, so the place was oddly quiet, and the bar was running slow-enough that Junior was able to step away and pass on the reigns to an intern while he and Jack went into his back office.

"So, Jack, what can I do for you this fine afternoon?" the bearded man questioned. "Drink?" he offered, holding out a bottle of whiskey and a glass.

Jack's response was to take the bottle and chug the glass he topped off for himself in one long gulp, panting audibly once the well was dry.

" . . . I take it you had a bad day?" he asked seeing the sling.

"Heh. You should see the _other _guy."

"If you had a nickel for every time I heard that, you could probably have your _own _nightclub."

"Yeah, but where'd the fun be in _that_?" Jack chuckled, the burn of the alcohol dulling the throbbing of his arm.

It was one thing to use Aura to heal external wounds, but the _internal _ones took more time and effort. Contrary to popular belief, having Aura was _not _the same as having a Healing Factor; it only augmented the inborne ability you _already _had to heal.

"So, got an interesting story to tell me?" Junior asked as the twins peeked into the room, Miltia's eyes going wide before she ran up to Jack, cupping his cheeks with her hands and looking him over.

"Jack! What _happened _to you?" she gaped as she saw his arm.

"If you lovely ladies would take a seat, I'd be more than happy to tell. Saves me the trouble of telling it more than once."

One explanation of the Sky Pirate attack later…

"And… the _gold_?" Junior asked with a raised brow, as halfway into the storytelling Jack had upended a bag _filled _with gold bullion onto his desk.

"One of the bodies I was frisking was a raider who was probably going to go AWOL at the next port of call. Guy had gold bullion out the _wazu _sewn into his clothing under his armor, and I was able to sneak it past the Valian Fleet; spoils of war and all that," Jack shrugged. "Of course, I can't sell this at a pawn shop without raising too many eyebrows, so that's why I came to you."

"Jack, I am offended and _appalled _that you would even _insinuate _I would mediate the sale of such ill-gotten gains," Junior said to him in a very stern tone.

The next moment the two of them let out a hearty laugh, punctuated by the clinking of ice as whiskey passed their lips.

"Ahhh, Jack. With you around, things are _never _boring," Junior said with a smile.

"May we live in strange times," Jack returned with a smile of his own, his arm thrown over Miltia's shoulder as she fretted over his bad arm.

"Still, _Sky _Pirates, huh?" Junior hummed as he sifted through the gold, arranging it meticulously by size and weight. "Always good for a cash influx. If you can catch 'em with their _pants _down."

"Yeah, I didn't really see them coming either. Part of what makes them so-terrifying to those who _do _get caught with their pants down," Jack shrugged. "Still, I had a good pilot at my back and a teammate at my side, and they got overconfident with the dozen-to-one numbers advantage, so everything worked out relatively okay in the end," he said drumming the fingers of his bad arm.

"So, how do you want the money to be divvied up?" Junior asked taking out a notepad.

"Hmmm… How about fifteen percent to the club-"

"So generous," Junior said with a roll of his eyes.

"Twenty into my personal account, half of the sum into St. Dolittle's, and just for good measure, send the rest of it the Beggar King's way."

"Ugh. Guy gives me the _creeps_," Melanie shuddered.

"He's the king of beggars. Being creepy is a _given_," Junior lamented. "Still, is it really worth sending so much cash to that old rat?" he asked turning back to Jack.

"The guy has eyes and ears all over the city. They see everyone, everything, but are never seen in turn. Just the kind of information network I need since I'm going to be _living here _for the next four years," Jack waved off. "You could benefit from a relationship with him too."

"I'll file that as a 'Soft Maybe'," Junior said raising his hands. "Anything else you need?"

"Not really. As much as I'd like to laze about in the VIP Lounge, I really have to get back to Beacon, make sure Yang doesn't tell people the two of us stopped a whole _fleet _of raider ships," he said getting up from his seat and swiping three pieces of bullion from the pile. "From one bro to another," he said tossing a piece to Junior, "and a gift for two _very _lovely young ladies," he said turning his attention to the two sisters, placing the bullion into their palms.

While Miltia received the offering with a grateful smile and a kiss on the cheek, her _twin_… Well…

Not as such.

"I don't need your damn _charity_!" Melanie yelled, the 10oz bullion leaving her hand.

_***Flashback End***_

"A minor altercation," Jack waved off. "Anyway, here's your bracelet back. You still going to keep the TSG?"

"Well…" Yang hummed as she caught her weapon. "Since we made a bit of a _mess _with this thing-"

"Ha!"

"Nora, behave."

"I'll probably bench it until it's only the _Grimm _I evaporate with this thing," Yang concluded.

"Fair enough," Jack shrugged. "So? Did anything interesting happen while we were out?"

"We witnessed a full-blown _poltergeisting_!" Nora whooped.

" . . . Okay then," Jack nodded.

"Does _nothing _faze you?!" Weiss squawked.

"Not really, no."

"You should've heard about his time as a _kamikaze _pilot," Yang chuckled.

"Wait, then how the hell are you still alive!?" Jaune gawped, Nora walking up to Jack and poking at him.

"Nora, I'm _not _a ghost, I just suck at being a kamikaze pilot," Jack said swatting her hand away.

" . . . Okay, that's fair," Pyrrha nodded.

"Anyway, I got you guys a souvenir," Jack said drawing a draw-cord bag from his side.

"Ooh! What is it?" Nora asked excitedly, their contents upturned onto the room's divider. " . . . Isn't that a bit of a _stereotype_?" she asked pointing to the gold teeth on the shelves, completely nonplussed by it while everyone else shifted away in revulsion.

"Do you _see _the golden teeth everywhere?" Jack asked dryly.

" . . . Fair point," she acquiesced.

"Ugh, _gross_, why do you even _have _these?" Jaune squealed.

"Uh, because I ripped them from pirate heads with _vice grips_. Duh," Jack returned with a roll of his eyes.

"I mean why did you bring them _here_!"

"I dunno. In case one of you wanted to use them for a necklace or a bracelet or something," Jack shrugged noncommittally.

"Jack! How could you desecrate the _dead _like this!?" Weiss demanded.

"To be fair, they weren't _all _dead," Yang hummed.

"Not helping," Jack stated. "To answer _your _question, when a Kingdom's citizen surrenders their citizenship and becomes a Bandit or a Raider, their civil rights are similarly _redacted; _the Council's way of 'dissuading' anyone from turning against the Kingdom's interests in pursuit of your own."

"Which is why killing a Bandit or a Raider, even on Kingdom soil, doesn't count as _murder_, I take it?" Ren hummed aloud.

"Pretty much. If you put the idea in citizens' heads that anyone who goes after them 'won't take prisoners', it goes a long way in stopping people from dropping their societal obligations and becoming ass pirates."

"But _what _about _women_?" Nora asked legitimately.

"They're still ass pirates but they need to use strap-ons for plundering booty."

"Jack! TMI!" Jaune squealed.

"Oh _grow _a pair," Jack bit out. "The world isn't all sunshine and rainbows. It's dark, and gritty, and quite frankly I don't think most of you are _ready _for it. The only ones _remotely _ready to face the rigors of the _real world _are Blake, Yang, Nora, and Ren. The rest of you are just dead weight."

"Well _that _seems a little harsh," Pyrrha pouted.

"Pyrrha, you couldn't beat me in a fight even when you were trying your hardest. What makes you think _you _could survive against a raider _legitimately _trying to kill you?" Jack questioned back, Pyrrha wilting backwards under his gaze. "Geez, everyone calls you a bunch of prodigies, the best in a generation… but in the end you're nothing but a bunch of immature brats," Jack sighed tiredly. "My condolences to whatever villager is counting on _you _to save their lives."

"Hey…!" Jaune spoke up, only for his words to die on his lips.

Out of everyone there, he was the absolute _least _qualified to rebuke the older teen's claims.

By his very admission he was the least-qualified to even _attempt _becoming a Huntsman.

"That's what I thought," Jack huffed. "So… Who wants a morbid charm bracelet?" he asked with levity.

"Ugh, what sane person would _wear _something so morbid?" Weiss asked.

"_I'd _like a morbid charm bracelet!"

"I WAS FUCKING _JOKING_!" Weiss shrieked at Nora's shameless admission.

"Excellent~ Let me get your wrist measurements and you'll be the envy of all your female friends~"

"Yay! Conversation Piece _acquired_!" Nora said chipperly.

"You are _literally _out of your damn mind," Weiss bit out.

"You _have _to be for _this _line of work," Ren hummed.

" . . . Make me one of those bracelets too," Yang added after a moment. "I can say it's a hobby knocking people's teeth out to make jewelry out of them."

"Intimidation Factor, ho!" Nora whooped.

"I'm _surrounded _by crazy people," Weiss groaned.

"Says the girl who drags the dead from their eternal rest to _fight _for her."

"For the last time, Ren! My Semblance creates golems based on _my _memories! It doesn't raise the dead, and it doesn't summon _ghosts_!" Weiss cried.

"I feel like I'm missing some context here," Jack hummed aloud.

"Don't worry about it, just get back to making me that epic _charm _bracelet," Nora said from her place on the bed, a measuring tape around her wrist.

"Just how many of these 'morbid charm bracelets' have you _made_?" Blake asked with a raised brow.

"Do you really wanna know the answer?" Jack asked.

"I'd rather not… but I kinda _do_," Blake admitted, morbidly curious.

"Well… Let's just say that certain circles call me 'The Tooth Fairy' for a good reason."

_"*Snrk!*_ Tooth Fairy," Jaune snickered.

"Do _you _want a visit from The Tooth Fairy?"

"No thanks!" Jaune squealed as a pair of vicegrips were held up in his face.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So… _Why _is everyone eating dinner outside?" Jack asked a couple hours later.

"Everyone thinks the dining hall is _haunted_," Ruby answered with a roll of her eyes.

"Says the girl who thought we had a _ghost _in our house," Yang chuckled.

"Only because you hid a walkie talkie next to my headboard when we had to replace the drywall!" Ruby squealed.

"Well, that would explain the Seyance, Ghost Whisperer, Exorcism, and _Supernatural _club creepers," Jack said as he eyed dozens of students in varying ghost-hunter related attire and gear going over the place with a fine-toothed comb. "You think they'll _find _anything?"

"Don't know, don't care," Yang said as she wolfed down her food.

"Yang… Are you okay?" Ruby asked nervously.

"_Mmf_. Yeah. Couldn't be better. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You seem a little… _distant _right now…"

"Fighting sky pirates is hungry work. Have to keep up my _energy_!"

"Yang, you're stress-eating," Weiss stated.

"_You're _stress-eating!" Yang snapped back.

"That doesn't even make _sense_!"

"It doesn't have to! I'm _hungry_!"

_"Jack, what exactly did you tell her?"_ Blake asked accusingly.

_"It's less about what _I _said and more about what she_did_," _Jack whispered in turn. _"She's _your _partner, so keep an eye on her, okay?"_

_"Sometimes it feels like keeping an eye on the _both _of you is a full-time job."_

_"Yeah, well, that's the tradeoff for hunting in a pack. You have to put up with other people," _Jack waved off as he ate.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Yang was alone, the full moon at her back as she stood atop a raider vessel.

Fists and feet flying, raider after raider were knocked down, nary a bit of effort on Yang's part needed.

"Yeah!" Yang whooped, the blast of her Ember Celica punctuating the night loudly as another body was sent flying. "How d'you like me _now_!"

_**"Blood****… So much blood…****"**_

_**"Oh god****… It's **_**every**_**where…****"**_

"Huh?" Yang asked confusedly. "What the-!?"

Set upon both wrists were the Two-Step Goodbye, one apiece, and in place of the bodies she'd knocked down, were nothing but massive blood spatters.

"When the hell did _this _get here?!"

_**"You****…**_ _**How could you do something so **_**horrible**_**, Yang?"**_

"Ruby?!"

_**"Monster."**_

"Hold on-"

_**"Killer."**_

"Wait a-"

_**"Murderer!"**_

_***NEW WORLD***_

The next moment Yang was wide awake in her bed, lilac eyes darting through the darkness of her room, her body covered in a sheen of sweat, her fists trembling even as the memories of her nightmare faded away like fog.

Rolling to her side and reaching into the room's divider, when her hands found her Ember Celica, her trembling stilled. When her eyes spied the clunky-yet-dangerous silhouette of the Two-Step Goodbye… a feeling of dread rose up within her.

_'Ugh, I think I'm going to be sick,' _Yang groaned, hand going to her mouth before she climbed out of her bunk and ghosted out the door

The blond making her way to the roof, the night air was brisk, the light from the moon casting a pale glow on Beacon. Though Yang fell to her knees and hugged herself, skin clammy, it wasn't due to cold, but to the night terrors she now felt.

"Yang."

The blond's eyes snapping into focus at the shadow in the doorway, two orbs of golden amber peered at her through the darkness until the lithe silhouette of her partner stepped out into the open, like herself clad in her jammies.

"Yang. Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine."

"Really? Because you don't _look _fine."

"Blake, I said I'm fine-"

"And _I'm _saying you're _not_," Blake bit back. "Yang, I know what you're going through. You feel guilty for killing those raiders even though they were _unarguably _'the bad guys'. I've been through the same thing."

Though it'd been before the whole "Circle of Man" revelation, Blake _had _killed before; in order to protect her comrades from the automatic rifle of a man who'd been playing possum, she'd stained her hands red. She didn't _regret _it, but she'd been ill for quite a while afterwards.

"You… You have…?" Yang gawped, seeing her partner in a whole new light.

"Yes… I have…" Blake returned, striding forward to sit next to Yang, the two of them looking out over Beacon. "The first time it happened, I felt sick to my stomach. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I thought what I was feeling was the closest you could get to dying while still alive… But when I thought of the alternative, I realized how-important it is to _reflect _on the kill, why you do it, and for _whom _you do it."

"I…"

"Yang, your guilt is perfectly natural. I'd be more-worried if you _didn't _feel any kind of guilt from what you did," Blake interrupted. "That you can still feel guilty, even after all you killed were sky pirates… It's a sign you haven't lost your humanity. And as long as you _continue _to feel guilty, even while accepting that sometimes it has to be done, you _won't _lose your humanity."

"But what about _Jack_? _He _didn't seem shaken up in the slightest."

"Jack's had blood on his hands since he was a child. He's been steeped in it for so long that it's become part of his 'default', so more bodies on the pile won't bother him after everything he's been through," Blake answered. "That look you had on your face after you trailed after him into the boy's shower, it has me pretty sure you knew about that already."

"Wait, then why do _you _know that?"

"I'm his kid sister. We share all we're able to with one another," Blake answered, a soft smile on her face at the thought of having someone so-reliable at her back. That Jack was actually "Jack the Ripper" didn't even bother her anymore, because now that she knew _why _he killed… It just didn't really bother her anymore.

It was _shocking_, that was for certain, but the revelation that he was the "big brother" she'd grown up with could be considered _equally _shocking.

"Well lucky you. When _I _found out, _I _got the shock of my _life_," Yang huffed.

"Why? Didn't you like what you saw~?" Blake asked coyly.

"I did and didn't like what I saw for different reasons," Yang pouted. " . . . How much did he tell you?"

"As much as he told you. Maybe _more_~"

"I'm not sure whether I envy you or _pity _you," Yang sighed. "And it came as a hell of a shock seeing the two of you in the same baby pictures. What're the chances your moms were best friends even though they were different species?"

"Yeah… What're the chances?" Blake returned, present pretense still weighing her down.

"Anyway, I don't want you telling Jack about this."

"_Why_?"

"Because if Jack found out how shaken-up I was over this, he'd feel like this was his fault for taking me along. I won't put that kind of burden on him."

"For the record, _he _already knows," a voice said from the door, the two girls whirling around to see twin orbs of soothing jade looking out at them through the darkness of the doorframe, their owner stepping out and letting out a jaw-cracking yawn as he scratched at his stomach, eyes squinting shut.

"_Jack_?! How long've you been awake?" Yang asked frantically.

"Long enough. Don't forget, I'm a light sleeper, _and _I can see people's Aura, so I know that _yours _has been twisted in _knots _over this," he said as he cracked an eye open, ghostly flames alighting his eye before he let out another yawn. "Anyway, I'm glad you're confiding in others like this, but even _I _can tell this isn't enough."

"Well then what do you recommend?" Yang asked. "I don't want to drag anyone _else _into this. Let alone Ruby."

A moment later, she and Blake had a set of fresh clothes thrown their way.

"Get dressed and meet me at the south exit," Jack said as he turned around, cracking his neck as he went. "We're going on a road trip."

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Jack… where're… we… going…?" Yang questioned, she, Jack, and Blake astride the team's hovercar, the absolute _smoothness _of the ride quickly lulling her to sleep as the forest and the river rushed past them.

"We're going to see your dad about this. It's been a _while _since you've been home, hasn't it?" Jack asked from behind the wheel.

"My-My _dad_?!" Yang gawped, all notion of sleep leaving her.

"Yeah. _That _horny bastard," Jack answered. "It's a parent's job to make sure their kid's head's on straight, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but so late at _night_!?"

"I can smell it on you," Jack hummed aloud. "You're afraid of going to sleep again. Afraid of whatever nightmare your guilt-fueled psyche will cook up. If you can't get a decent night's sleep, every other facet of your life will suffer for it, so we're going to nip this in the bud before it turns into a bigger problem than it already is."

"You'd really go this far? For _me_?" Yang asked as she glanced over her shoulder, seeing that Blake had fallen asleep in the back, face pressed against the passenger-side window.

"Hey, you accepted me for all my ugliness. The least I can do is help you out with yours, even if your ugliness is only on the inside," Jack shrugged.

"I'm not sure whether that's a compliment, or an insult."

"Take it however you will," Jack shrugged. "Feel free to nod off like your friend there, if you're able. It'll be a while before we get to Patch, even if I floor it once we hit the bay."

_***NEW WORLD***_

After crossing the land route between Beacon and Vale, instead of driving through Vale proper, Jack chose instead to take the Appleseed along the road at the base of Vale's wall. Even though the distance to Patch along that route was _longer_, without having to worry about traffic lights, the trip was actually much shorter since so-few people used Vale's _exterior _roads.

While it was true that the most-likely people in Vale to get attacked were those just-outside the walls, since so-few people really ventured beyond the safety that the walls offered, with the Appleseed's speed and Jack's natural nightvision that made the route as bright as though it were day out, the trip to Patch was actually uneventful. When the hovercar transitioned from land to water Yang had momentarily woken back up, but the novelty of flying over churning waves in the night swiftly wore off, and the blond nodded off, even if she was only half-asleep.

The island of Patch didn't have the same kind of wall that Vale did, mainly because the surrounding waters were a natural barrier all their own.

Very few aquatic Grimm ever made their way there through the shallow waters, those that were too big to completely conceal themselves victim to a bombing raid, while those that _tried _ascending its shores were the victims of auto-turrets stationed around the populated areas.

Grimm could still appear from inland, and no-one knew where fresh Grimm _came from _even after subjugation parties swept the island clean. Some speculated an underground route that only the Grimm were aware of, while others thought the Grimm manifested from the very earth itself, as though by magic.

Either way, the trip to Yang's childhood home was pretty straightforward once they'd made landfall. The roads were well-used with lots of space, and since most-everyone on Patch knew how to use a firearm, Grimm rarely ever poked their noses out unless an _especially _tasty nugget of negative energy made itself known.

The Xiao Long-Rose family home, located on a flat plot of land with a few trees scattered about was a two-story log cabin with a sheet metal roof in dull red. The place looked like it'd been built from scratch by the home's occupants, and since the house had been made by Hunters, that very well could've been the case. While it was true Hunters made serious bank, they were still a frugal, penny-pinching lot at times.

Though the patriarch of the house had given up full-time fieldwork to become a teacher, the headlights alighting the side of the family home was enough to make the bedroom light snap on, even if the low hum of the Appleseed's engine couldn't.

Jack, parking the Appleseed to the side of the footpath by the front door, had gotten around the hood and opened the door for Yang by the time Taiyang had opened the front door, letting out fresh light into the darkness.

"Tell me who you are, or you'll be meeting the business end of my _shotgun_!" Taiyang shouted from the doorframe.

"Dad, it's okay. It's _me_," Yang yawned.

"Yang…?" Taiyang asked as he rubbed his eyes. "Yang, what're _you _doing here?"

"My friends… think I should talk to you about something, and that it can't really wait," Yang admitted.

" . . . Well I always have time for my little girl," Taiyang sighed, letting the barrel of his shotgun dip. "Come on in. I'll put the coffee on."

The interior of the house was predominantly wooden, the walls covered with family photos. Suspiciously-enough, pictures of _Yang's _mother were far and few between bordering nonexistent, whereas an overabundance of pictures of _Ruby's _mother seemed to dominate.

Scratch that; pictures of Yang's mother were _completely _nonexistent. Almost as though the occupants were trying to wipe one mother out of their memories in place of another.

"So… _You're _Jack Braxton, in the flesh," Taiyang hummed as he sat across from his daughter and her teammates, casting a narrowed eye at Jack as he sized him up.

"Listen, blondie, I'm not here to butt heads with you because of any Humanized alpha male macho bullshit dick-waving. I'm here because Yang needs the advice of a parent after killing sky pirates today, and also because I'm the only one with a driver's license," Jack huffed in turn.

There was also the fact that the shuttles weren't running that late at night and the Appleseed was the only way to get to Patch at that time of night without chartering a private shuttle, but that was neither here nor there.

"You let my daughter fight _sky pirates_?!" the man demanded, slammed hands on the table startling Blake into wakefulness.

"Hey! I _chose _to fight alongside him so he wouldn't be up there all alone! So don't you _dare _take that tone with him!" Yang shouted red-eyed as embers leapt from her hair.

That Yang would actually talk _back _to him had Taiyang stepping back in shock.

Taking a second to _digest _what he'd been told, his daughter's actions were perfectly justified.

Besides, deep-down he _knew _his daughter would have to eventually kill other Humans as part of her work as a Huntress. Only over-idealistic fools would think they could become Hunters and _only _contend with the Grimm; not when Humans were just-as-monstrous if not _moreso_.

He'd just hoped his little girl wouldn't have to cross this hurdle at _least _until she'd graduated. Which had him wondering…

"Why were you on _missions _today? You aren't supposed to start until the lead-in to the Vytal Festival."

"To be fair, this was for Flight Club, not an official mission. Ozpin _has _opened up the bounty boards for us, but we haven't gone on official missions _yet_," Yang stated, excluding that messy business with The Crimson Orb since that was more of an "off-the-books" errand for Ozpin.

"Okay, so it wasn't a mission, but a freak _accident _then," Taiyang hummed as he let the details soak in. "And you're _sure _you couldn't have taken them alive?"

"Not _all _of them. Those dirtbags were coming for blood, and if Yang hadn't fought them with everything she had, she'd have been reduced to a damn _brood mare_," Jack bit back. "Those raiders can get pretty _rapey_, wouldn't you say?"

" . . . "

Taiyang held his tongue, but his silence spoke volumes.

"Anyway, I'm sure _you've _had to kill to protect your teammates, otherwise you're a really shitty sort of person, so while you and Yang have this heart-to-heart, I'm going to go out into the woods and take out any Grimm your daughter might kite in this general direction," he said making his way out the door, taking Taiyang's shotgun along for the ride.

The door creaking shut, the creaking of boards on the roof told the two blonds that their extra was now maintaining vigil over the household, allotting them a little more breathing room.

"Aren't you going to go with him?" Taiyang asked turning to Blake.

"Yang isn't just the first girl to find me in the woods. She's my friend. I'm going to _be _here for her," the Closet Faunus asserted.

"Fair enough," the man nodded. "So… Yang… Got your first _kill _today, huh?"

"Yeah…" Yang answered, wringing her hands nervously.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"I _do_… but I don't know where to start."

"How about at the beginning?"

"Well…" she paused, trying to get comfortable. "Things only started going bad when I tried climbing onto the roof of my airship without any mag-boots," Yang began. "I almost went over the tail of our airship and it wasn't until Jack turned another raider into a human rope that I was able to pull myself back up."

"Um… _Huh_?" Taiyang asked confusedly.

"Oh, well, Jack sliced off one guy's robot arm and then blew out one of his knees, making him flop backwards so I'd have something to grab onto," Yang clarified. "Anyway, Jack roughed himself up a bit bailing me out so _clearly _he wasn't going to be fighting at his best, and since we'd lost one of our engine pods and couldn't _outrun _them… fighting was really the only option left open to us."

"You couldn't have called for help?"

"Even if they hadn't been jamming our comms, which they were, the Valian Fleet wouldn't have gotten to us before the raiders reeled us in and hauled us off to god-knows-where," Yang answered. "Also, there was a very _clear _undertone of _rape _amongst the raiders, so they weren't the 'heart of gold' kinda raiders Ruby grew up with on Saturday morning cartoons."

"I'm… sorry to hear that."

"Yeah, well, let's just say rooming with Jack has been very… _eye_-opening," Yang admitted. "Anyway, firing off the Two-Step Goodbye for the first time cranked my Semblance up to eleven, so I'm not sure if my first kill was from actually _nailing _someone with it or when I accidentally sent one of them overboard, but… Yeah, now I've got _blood _on my hands."

" . . . Would you rather _Jack _have died so you could keep your hands clean?" Taiyang asked somberly, Yang's eyes widening at the inquiry. "When I was Ruby's age, I had this whole romanticized 'Hero of jJustice' spiel all thought-out for myself; that I'd be like the heroes from the old stories who turn enemies into allies and save the world… But the _real _world isn't that kind," he said interlacing his fingers. "Summer almost died on our first mission away from the Kingdom because I hesitated to kill a Bandit, and if Qrow hadn't stepped in to cover for _my _screwup… Ruby might've never been born."

"Dad, I…! I didn't know…" Yang returned, eyes wide.

"I kept that story from you for a reason… But it seems like I can't any longer," Taiyang said tiredly. "You've grown up so fast… It seems like just yesterday I was changing your diapers, and now you're losing sleep over murder-guilt."

"DAAAD!" Yang squawked, red in the face.

"At least _Jack _wasn't around to hear that," Blake sighed.

_"For the record… I _totally_ heard that!" _Jack's muffled voice called out from the woodline.

_***BANG!***_

_"Got 'im! Carry on!"_

"Dad, could you _please _not say something so embarrassing when a guy with super-hearing's nearby?" Yang pleaded.

"Fine," Taiyang sighed dejectedly. "Back to what I was saying, I'm not saying you should go on a killing spree every opportunity like your _mother _did. All that'll do is make you more enemies."

_"I… think I'll join Jack outside,"_ Blake whispered as she excused herself, feeling like she'd heard something she hadn't.

"But at the same time, death and murder are unavoidable in our line of work. If you want to continue training to be a Huntress, you'll have to acknowledge that sometimes, you'll have to get your hands dirty. Don't make murder your go-to option, but don't completely write it off either."

"So… everything in moderation?"

"That's the ticket," Taiyang nodded. "I'm sorry you had to go through this so soon," he said reaching out and taking her hands, "but I know that you'll be strong-enough to get past this. And just know that no matter what happens, I'll always be proud of you."

"Thanks, dad," Yang said with a smile, reaching over and giving him a bone-breaking hug. "I… I really needed this talk."

"You've got good friends, kiddo. Not _everyone _would get up in the middle of the night and drive you home like this."

"Not everyone has a kick-ass hovercar to do it _with_," Jack said with a nod as he came back in, setting the shotgun on the gun rack. "Loads easier to make the trip that way."

"I still can't believe you won a whole _car _in the Sports Day Raffle," Taiyang awed as he looked out the window at aforementioned "kick-ass" ride. "Back in _my _day the most we ever got was a new Scroll, maybe some school supplies."

"And wouldn't _that _be disappointing to win?" Jack chuckled.

"Hey, school supplies are important, you know."

"Jeez, Yang. It's a wonder you turned out so cool when your old man's a total _square_."

"Yeah, well, he's my dad and I still love him," Yang said patting him consolingly on the shoulder.

"Don't patronize me."

"Back to the topic at hand. Yang… Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah… Yeah, I'm feeling _much _better," Yang nodded. "I really needed this. Thanks for going the extra mile for me."

Taiyang's hackles rose when his daughter kissed the Faunus boy on the cheek.

Not because he was a _Faunus_, but because he was a teenage boy in-general.

"You're welcome," Jack returned. "Why don't you and Blake start up the car. After I take care of some _business_, we'll head back to Beacon."

"Nu-uh, I'm putting my foot down, it is _too _damn late to be driving off to Beacon," Taiyang said putting his foot down. "The three of you are going to stay here for the night and head back out in the morning, and that's _final_."

" . . . Hard to argue with a guy who has a gun rack by the front door," Jack shrugged. "You win, Mr. Xiao Long."

"You _bet _I do," the man nodded.

"Cool. You guys can stay in _my _room. It'll be like a big slumber party," Yang nodded with a smile.

"I'll…" Jack trailed off when he saw the look Yang's dad was giving him over her shoulder. "I'll take the guest room."

"Awww," Yang pouted.

"Don't pout, Yang. You sleep in the same room as him on a regular basis," Blake stated.

"Don't _remind _me," Taiyang groaned.

"Says the guy that knocked up _both _girls he roomed with," Jack said with rolled eyes.

"Which reminds me. You touch a hair on my little girl's head, and so help me-"

"Dad! Chillax! I don't plan on becoming a teenage mother," Yang asserted.

"_Chillax_?" Blake asked with a raised brow.

"Don't give me that look. 'Chillax' is _totally _cool."

"Not if you have to _say _it's 'cool'."

"Just go upstairs already," Yang huffed, pushing Blake along while leaving the two males to their own devices.

"So… You're the guy Ruby inducted as her big brother," Taiyang hummed.

"More or less," Jack shrugged, plopping himself down on the recliner. "All things considered, your girls turned out alright. Most single parents can't even do half that well with _one _kid, let alone two. I'm impressed."

"Yeah, well… It was a little rocky, back when Summer died," Taiyang sighed, plopping down on the couch across from him. "I know I acted like the stereotypical dad back then, but can I count on you to look after my girls? They mean the world to me, and it'd be a load off my mind if I knew I could count on you."

" . . . I won't let either of them die on my watch, and I'll make damn sure they can carry on even after I'm gone," Jack said somberly. "You can trust me _that _much."

"In the end, that's all the father of a Huntress can ask for," the man sighed. "Thanks for keeping my little girl safe against those raiders. If anything'd happened to her I'd… I don't know _what _I'd do."

"If it were _me _I'd go on a murderous rampage, but that's just _me_," Jack shrugged.

And he _knew _he'd go on a quote/unquote "murderous rampage" because he _had _gone on such a rush of violent and uncontrolled behavior for a very approximate reason.

"Still, I'd rather not have _Ruby _go through this whole song and dance, sooo…"

"I can only promise to _try _and keep her hands clean, but if she chooses to get blood on her hands to save a friend… that means she's willing to put the welfare of others before herself. Everything a Huntress _should _be. And in the end… isn't that all you can ask for as her father?"

"Yeah. I guess you're right," he nodded. "I'm still not _happy _with you rooming with them-"

"Hypocrite."

"-but regardless of however I feel about that…" Taiyang bit out. "They don't live under my roof anymore, so I'll trust their judgement."

"Relax, I'm not a _total _horndog. We Faunus _can _keep our impulses under control. We aren't _total _animals."

"I'm not making this a _race _thing, I'm just saying-"

_"Dad! Stop being racist! I can hear you form _here_!" _Yang shouted from upstairs.

"Walked right into _that _one," Jack chuckled, Taiyang hanging his head.

"Just go to bed already."

_***NEW WORLD***_

**AN:  
At the end of ****RWBY**** Volume 6, Yand and Blake seemed **_**really **_**nonplussed by the fact that they totally **_**killed **_**a guy. Sure, he was trying to kill them both, but Yang showed more of a response from her PTSD than an actual **_**murder**_**. Since this is the first time anyone in the main cast other than Jack **_**has **_**killed before, I thought it'd be interesting to touch up on this part of their occupation. Just because Yang is strong on the outside doesn't mean she's as-strong on the inside; to get that kind of strength, she needs the love and supports of friends and family, which is why I wrote in the trip to Patch the way I did. No super-awesome fight choreography like during the Jack & Yang vs Sky Pirates fight, but the Lows are just as important as the Highs.**

**Tell me what you think in the Reviews Column!**


	23. Lumber Jacks PART 1

Normally I wouldn't reply to a Reply from a previous Volume of Giant-Slayer on _this _volume, but that I'm still receiving Reviews on a story that's already Completed makes me pretty happy, so I'll give a little recognition to people who put in a real effort with their commentary.

**Twisted Stigma: **A very good way of showing how the winner of wars gets to pen the history books. I love just how f$?king far you've stretched areas of RWBY. The small part of Dr. Oobleck's class, you've not only added to what he'd said, but you've given so much more to World of Remnant. Adding the continent of Skyrim, creating the equivalent of the White Fang, and adding a few techniques of anime (pretty cool that you didn't add lore with them, just the moves themselves.) You've made one helluva story, dawg. Congratu-f$?king-lations! I hope to see more when I start Volume 2 of this. **(Chapter 47)**

**NeoNazo356: **Thank you. I'm glad that even now, readers still appreciate how far I was _willing _to push the status quo of RWBY FanFic. There's so much _potential _in it, but so many of the tired old troupes are used because, _ironically_, people don't want to challenge the Canon with a Fanon all their own. What Jack brought up with history being written by the winners was largely inspired by "Game Theory: Call of Duty, Modern War Crimes" by The Game Theorists on YouTube; also the fact that no-one in the world of RWBY really tried _expanding upon _the "why" of the Faunus Rights Revolution/Race War, only that it happened and hand-waved most of it away. The fact that there wasn't a Pro-Human equivalent to the White Fang seemed like so much wasted potential, because it just made it seem like it was _only _Faunus who reacted violently to racial injustice, when in actuality it should've been _both _sides reacting to one another; IRL, the KKK are juxtapositioned by The Black Panthers. Turning the 5th continent from the Canon into Skyrim was something I did to add another world power to the playing board, and it only works out that smoothly because I plan to do _much _more to expand the World of Remnant in Volume 2; both literally and metaphorically. The techniques from Anime and Games, as well as the Crossovers, are largely so I don't _oversaturate _the story with OCs, something that ruins them because it becomes hard to keep track of them; at the very least with _my _cameos, people just have to look them up by name and/or IP and have _some _idea of their role in Giant-Slayer.

**Twisted Stigma: **Good God, this has been quite the read. On the last chapter, I really wasn't expecting Jack to be slaved under Jacques, but at the same time, I feel like I should've expected that. The hinted past between Jack and Sebastian. **(Chapter 56)**

**NeoNazo356: **Jack being a Slave Gladiator owned by Jacques was _always _going to be the plan, even before we knew what he _looked like_. I hinted at it with Sebastian's facial scars and Jack _thinking _he recognized him before waving it off as unimportant. Plus, Jacques would've _had _to have a collaborator since _caring _for a slave would've been "beneath him".  
Suffice it to say, it was worth it leaving all those teeny tiny breadcrumbs to lead to that big reveal, because what it spells for the _future _will keep readers guessing.

**Twisted Stigma: **I see that Vincent has turned into MegaMan. With Borderlands firmly implanted into the story now, I'm not sure what to expect of the remainder of GS. When Eldcraft is mentioned, I for some reason get the thought of Wolfenstein and that "technology so advanced, it's magic" type of thing. **(Chapter 10)**

**NeoNazo356: **Well, that _is _the gist of what "Eldcraft" is meant to be; science so-advanced it may as well be magic. And you know the old saying by Arthur C. Clarke-  
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

**Twisted Stigma: **Heheh. References and crossover galore. If it had been any other author, it'd be bad, but you've built this so perfectly, I actually really do expect to stumble upon this or that reference. (I personally love the one of Spy's head in Medic's fridge.) **(Chapter 18)**

**NeoNazo356: **Oh, so you actually caught that. Since that came from around 2011, that makes me feel really nostalgic, since I did _not _see that coming at the time I saw that video  
On another note, I'm happy the various crossovers aren't repulsed by _everyone_. Since an over-saturation of OCs makes stories a slog to read, I decided to make a multi-crossover. Not only would it create all sorts of interesting possibilities for future story arcs, but it also stops the story from becoming too predictable since Giant-Slayer isn't a straight-RWBY story.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Waking up the following morning, his limbs stretched out in all directions, it took Jack's half-awake mind a moment to realize he wasn't in his Beacon dormitory, but was instead nestled soundly within the guest room of the Xiao Long/Rose family abode.

"Huh… Who knew I'd miss a queen-size so much," Jack hummed as he rolled back over, deciding to get a little more sleep-

_***Clang-Clang-Clang-Clang-Clang-Clang-Clang!***_

_"Rise and shine, sleeping beauties!"_ Taiyang's voice boomed out from the hallway, a wooden spoon being banged against an iron pan for all to hear.

" . . . Sorry about this, Ruby, but it looks like you're going to become an _orphan _today," Jack said cracking his knuckles.

_"Not if I make her one _first_,"_ Yang said through the wall, her own knuckles cracking.

_"If you did that, wouldn't _you _be an orphan too?"_

_"Shut up, Blake. It's too early for this shit."_

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Wow, dad! You managed not to burn down the _house _this time!" Yang gawped as she beheld a breakfast placed before them.

"Yes, well, ever since you and Ruby left, I kinda had to fend for myself," Taiyang admitted as he scratched the back of his head as he served himself some breakfast.

Though the man had only made scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast, the proportions alone were adequate for the gathering of four.

"I take it he was the stereotypical 'bad-at-cooking' male head of the household growing up?" Jack asked between strips of bacon.

"Yeah, pretty much," Yang replied shamelessly, Taiyang's shoulders slumping at the dismissal.

"You didn't have to be so _blunt _about it…"

"So, I've been meaning to ask. How's Ruby's _boyfriend _doing in school lately?" Yang asked with an upward lilt.

After all, who better to tell about how he's been doing than the boy's own teacher, now that she and Ruby were no longer attending Signal?

"Arthur's actually doing quite well for himself," Taiyang hummed. "I don't know if it's a new diet, a new training regimen, or if he just wants to be a good boyfriend to Ruby now that _that's _finally happened," he chuckled, "but he's really come into his own. Instead of tiring his opponents out in spars like he used to, he's actually begun to take the _initiative_, and won quite a few matches even against those that _have _beaten him in the past."

"Oh really? How so?" Blake asked with a tilt of her head.

If there was one thing Rabbit Faunus were known for, insulting stereotypes aside of which she'd heard _plenty_, it was their _stamina_. As such, it wasn't unheard of that a Rabbit Faunus would simply keep their distance in a fight and wait for their enemy to expend their strength; if not run away outright without getting caught.

"Well… I don't want to sound _sexist _or anything-"

"And _yet_, that's _exactly _what it's going to _sound like _with that kind of lead-in."

"But…" Taiyang said taking a moment to ignore Jack's barb. "Arthur's 'manned up' quite a bit. He's actually going on the offensive quite ferociously, that anyone with preconceptions about him gets the rug pulled out from right _under _them. His sword strikes are _much _faster than before, so its almost impossible to dodge _all _of them, and even if his opponent has a large-enough shield to block a frontal assault, he's nimble-enough that he can just _sidestep _that barrier and solo-flank."

"Oh, so Ruby's _Playgirl Bunny_ is kicking ass and taking names~" Yang hummed, whereas Taiyang spit-took.

"Agh! Gross!" Blake cried out.

Despite her best efforts to dodge, she'd still gotten struck by spittle.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Well, _breakfast _was certainly… entertaining," Taiyang said in a strained tone, "but I think maybe the three of you should mosey on back to Beacon."

"_Mosey_?"

"Who talks like _that _anymore?" Blake asked Jack.

"Hey, _plenty _of people talk like that!" Taiyang and his daughter argued back.

"Sure you do."

"Hey, don't look at us with those flat expressions!" the two cried back at the brother/sister duo. "And in _stereo_!"

"Sure. Sure. We'll leave you to your horse-doodling."

"I am _not _going into that right now!" Yang yelped.

_"Sooo… Is it _always _like this?" _Taiyang asked over his shoulder.

_"No. Normally it's _much _worse_,_" _Blake whispered in turn. _"Most of the time they're like this, they argue like an old _married _couple."_

_"God I _hope _not. If she's anything like her mother…"_

Taiyang trailed off abruptly.

_"I think it's for that very reason that Yang's showing so much restraint."_

_"Excuse me?"_

_"Well, Yang _obviously _likes him. _Sexually _at least," _Blake explained causing Taiyang to blanch. _"But I think _because _she thinks she's like her mom, she's abstaining from forming that kind of relationship until she can make peace with it. Or at least that's the vibe _I _got out of it."_

Even if Yang didn't realize it, she'd let enough slip over the past several weeks that Blake had been able to figure most of it out.

There were only so many "answers" to what could "be wrong with" a person.

_"Wow… I… I didn't know she _thought _that way about herself," _Taiyang thought somberly.

If Yang really thought she was so much like her mother that she'd abandon Jack like _he'd _been abandoned… Maybe he hadn't given Yang the guidance she'd needed at that tumultuous time in her life after Raven had walked out on them.

_"I… I should go talk to her."_

_"That _is _your job," _Blake nodded.

"Yang, sweetie, can I have a word with you?"

"Sure thing, dad," she said breaking away from Jack. "What do you wanna talk about?"

"Your friend told me you're still having certain… _issues_. With your _mom_."

"Crap, did I really let that much _slip_?" Yang asked.

"You kind of did," Blake hummed.

"Go wait in the car," Yang said with a flat expression, the girl raising her hands in mock surrender and hopping into the hovercar. "Dad. Where are you going with this?"

"Yang… How much like your mother do you think you are?"

"I don't _know_, daaad. You never tell me anything _about _her. Had to figure out she _ditched_ us all on my _own_, thankyouverymuch," the younger blond bit out.

This retort caused Taiyang to wince.

"Anyway, why does what I think about that matter?"

"Because you're making yourself miserable over it and I don't _want _that for you," Taiyang said firmly. "Look… Your mom leaving… It was hard. On _both _of us. But that isn't any reason to think that it's your fault, or that you aren't stronger than the arc of your bloodline."

"Geez, where'd you pull _that _fruity line out of?"

"A fortune cookie; don't interrupt," Taiyang bit back sternly. "What I'm trying to say is… Don't let who your mother is dictate _your _life. You are you, and she is she. You may've been borne from her womb, but from whom you were birthed does _not _define you."

"Dad, there's a _reason _you aren't a philosophy teacher. OW!" Yang cried as the man pinched her cheek.

And rather _painfully _at that.

"Look, I'm just going to get straight to the point 'cause I really _suck _at the whole 'wise guru' thing," Taiyang sighed, allthewhile holding his daughter's cheek between his fingers. "Don't think you're like a woman you barely even know. You aren't your mother, even if you _do _look like her at your age. You're Yang Xiao Long, and you're a better person than her. If you really like someone, you should pursue them."

"Dad… Are you telling me to pursue a sexual _relationship _with that boy?" Yang asked with a tilt of her head, the cheer coming back into her tone as she jabbed a thumb over her shoulder at Jack, his right ear twitching atop his head.

"That is _not _what I said!" Taiyang yelped.

"I think it iiiiiis~"

"And I think it's _not_!"

"Is~"

"Not!"

"Is~"

"Not!"

"Not~"

"Is!"

"Not~"

"Is! That's what I'm saying, and that's _final_!" Taiyang said with finality. " . . . What the crap did I just _say_!?" he squealed as his brain caught up with his mouth.

"Thanks for the words of wisdom, dad!" Yang said as she slid her butt across the hood of the Appleseed and slinked into shotgun. "See you later, alligator!"

"Yang! Wait! Just because I don't want you making yourself miserable DOESN'T MEAN I WANT YOU DATING BOYS!" Taiyang cried out as the Appleseed whooshed away.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Well…" Blake hummed as Taiyang vanished from the rear view mirror, despite his best efforts to chase after them and rectify the blunder he'd made. "_That _was certainly eventful."

"It suuuuure was, Blake. It suuuuure was~"

"Your dad's going to give you _hell _for that," Jack hummed from behind the wheel. "You know that, right?"

"Maybe, but that's a problem for '_tomorrow _me'~" Yang hummed.

"That seems like a very _dangerous _way of thinking," Jack hummed aloud.

"Oh like _you're _one to talk, Mr. I-Casually-Sleep-With-Women-I-Barely-Even-Know."

"First off, the women I've slept with I _do _know, and second-"

_'So _this _is my life now…' _Blake thought to herself as Jack and Yang started going back-and-forth at one another.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Jack Braxton! Yang Xiao Long! Blake Belladonna! Just _where _have you three _been_ all night?!" Weiss demanded the moment the three of them made their return. Despite the heiress' shouting, Ruby was still sleeping soundly in her bed, snoring away while muttering- _"Boom… headshot~" _-to herself.

Whether that was cute or disturbing was a debate for another day.

"Weiss. I left a note for you to find. Did you _miss _it?" the Faunus being bitched at asked.

" . . . "

The heiress glancing furtively around the room, eventually found a hand-written note sitting upon Jack's desk.

The heiress didn't need to read it to know that the act of _leaving _a note pardoned Jack from any further tongue-lashing.

" . . . Alright. I'll admit, I may've been a bit inattentive on my part," the heiress admitted after a moment. That she could admit fault with herself was _also _proof of her personal growth, since the Weiss of the not-too-ancient past would've denied it vehemently. "I take it you left Beacon so you could address Yang's mental health?"

"Am I really that _transparent_?" Yang asked.

"You wear your heart next to your _gauntlets_. You tell me," Weiss sighed. "Still, I'm glad you sought help instead of letting these issues _fester._ A soldier that neglects their mental health is nothing more than a liability in the field."

"Spoken like a true Atlas patriot," Blake huffed.

"It's called being _practical_. It's a healthy ailment that'll help you _live _longer," Weiss argued in turn, hands on her hips.

"Girls, _girls_, you're _both _pretty~" Yang swooned.

"I'm surprised that girl's still _asleep _through all this," Jack hummed looking to Ruby's bunk, the girl gently snoring away.

"Yes…" Weiss said as she drew her Myrtenaster. "Perhaps we should _fix _that~" she said ominously. **"Water Arte: Water Gun!" **she intoned as her Myrtenaster glowed blue, a stream of water spilling from the tip and aiming right towards the sleeping red-head.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhere…

"EYAAAAAAUGH!"

"Some girl's in trouble!"

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Not cool, Weiss. _Not _cool," Ruby pouted, soaked through to the bone. "LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MY BED!"

"_THAT'S _WHAT YOU'RE UPSET ABOUT?!" Yang gawped.

"AND _THIS _TOO!" Ruby pointed at herself.

"OKAY THAT'S BETTER!"

"WHY ARE WE YELLING!"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

"_CAN_ I_ JOIN IN!?"_ Nora shouted through the door.

"NO! I mean… No. Please, just, go back to your room," Weiss stated.

"_Awww…"_

"There, there," Jack said patting the door consolingly. "Anyway… What's on the agenda for today?"

"_First_! We dry out my _bed_," Ruby huffed.

Weiss' response was to twirl her Myrtenaster, the blade glowing blue as she pulled the moisture out of the sheets and mattress before whipping it across the room and into the bathroom sink. A swish of her blade glowing red and all that was wet became dry.

" . . . Good _job_, team!" Ruby nodded after a pause. "_Next _item on the list… Oh _I'm _sorry, am I _boring _you?" the little red-head huffed as she leered at Jack like an angry teacher whose lessons were ignored, his eyes turned too his Scroll.

"Sorry kiddo, you're going to have to do missions today without me," Jack said snapping the message shut.

"WHAT?! But I was looking _forward _to it…" Ruby whined.

"There, there," Jack said patting her head consolingly.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Jack. Be honest with me. What're you going off to do?" Blake asked, the rest of Team RWBBY going off to get breakfast after a late start. "Is it something _dubious_?"

"Do you _really_ wanna know?"

"I'm… not sure I _do_," Blake said unsuredly.

"Then don't ask, and just make sure that Ruby stays out of trouble today. Girl's been chomping at the bit to hit the mission boards and since I'm going to be otherwise _indisposed _today, I'm counting on you to keep her safe after Yang does something stupid."

"Hey, we were a team for a whole _week _before you came around and-that sounded _way _better in my head."

"Look, I get that you girls' first _personal _mission was the whole 'Ruby of Grief' thing, but _that _was a complete disaster so for the first mission _on-the-record_… maybe get something easy that you can't fuck up."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Blake sighed. "What about you? You sure _you _can handle a day without _us_?"

"Believe me, kitty cat, I _did _have a life before joining _this _band of eccentric weirdos."

" . . . It's very telling that I can't even _refute _that statement," Blake sighed after a moment.

"There, there," Jack said patting her head consolingly.

"Don't patronize me."

_***NEW WORLD***_

Jack, having sequestered himself into Beacon's central spire, made his way to the express elevator that would've taken him to the highest point of Beacon Academy.

Normally the only ones who could get up there were those with special authorization codes, or those that'd been waved in by the presiding secretary. That Jack was in possession of his own administrative codes rendered him practically invisible among the masses scurrying to complete their own work.

The door closing behind him, a mere moment before Jack pressed the button for the top floor, a shudder ran up his spine. Head whipping around in search of the vibe that made his hairs stand on end, he could feel… _something_… Something_ familiar_, but he had no clue what it was.

Jack _thought _it was the rustling of leaves, but that was _absurd_, he was in an _elevator_…!

The Faunus _wanted _to do more to investigate, but at the moment he was on _camera_, and just-as-importantly he was on a _time _crunch, so whatever was raising his hackles, he'd just have to look into it another day.

Biting the bullet and shoving aside what he could only _guess _was one of the skeletons in Ozpin's closet breathing down his neck, Jack pressed the button for his destination, and began his ascent.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Jack. Excellent work on making it up here on such short notice," Ozpin greeted as he set the paperwork he was working on aside. "Though I'm curious… How'd you manage to get away from your team?"

"Told them some 'urgent business' came up and they'd just have to make due without me," Jack answered. "Way I see it, I'm like _medicine _to those girls. I'm good in a select dosage, but too _much _of me, and this nectar turns into _poison_."

"That's a rather interesting way of putting it," Ozpin hummed. "Mind if I _borrow _that quote? It'd give people critical of my noninvolvement in the field a run for their money."

"People actually _bitch _at you about that?" Jack asked with a raised brow.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Ozpin sighed. "Sure, it's been a few years since I've shaken the rust loose, but I'm still the leader of this Kingdom's Hunters for a _reason_."

"Which has me wondering what it'd look like when someone poked at _your _'Rage Button'."

Jack still remembered how it'd felt when Ozpin had loosed an _iota _of his true power , back during orientation.

"I pray you never have to find out."

"What is it you're even staying in Beacon to _protect_, if not Beacon itself?"

"Does there really need to be anything else _to_ it? Isn't it enough that the strongest Huntsman in the Kingdom chooses to stay here to defend an incredibly valuable tactical position?"

" . . . I'm a first-year student," Jack admitted with a shrug. "It really isn't any of my business what you do in your off hours," he said with a shake of his head. "Sooo…" he said drumming his fingers together. "How can _I_ help _you_?"

"I have a _mission _for you. Sensitive in nature, so it's urgent you get on this right away," Ozpin answered, all traces of his playful tone gone.

"I'm listening," Jack said straightening in his chair.

"A while back, certain… _assets_, were smuggled out of Atlas custody and have fallen into the hands of… less-than-_reputable _individuals and are being used for less-than-reputable purposes," Ozpin began. "Those assets have proceeded to attack a lumberyard owned by the Jakobs corporation."

"When you say _assets_, do you mean those colorful, thematic robots ripping Vale a superfluous new asshole?" the Faunus asked with a raised brow.

"More or less…" Ozpin replied. "Obviously, an attack perpetrated by _Atlesian _assets makes this a sensitive matter. What has happened in town is being regarded as 'an isolated incident', and with the Vytal Festival on the horizon, the Council would like to _keep it _that way for as long as possible. And not only because this could damage the kingdom _financially_, but because wars have _literally _been started over lesser provocation."

"Hence why you aren't mobilizing an _army_, then," he hummed.

The "Robot Masters" may've been old tech, but the ones that had made them had been such geniuses, so-far ahead of their time that their creations being so out-of-date didn't even _matter_.

"Exactly right," Ozpin nodded, passing forward a hand-drawn map. "These are the directions to the mission site. At the halfway point of your drive, you'll be meeting with a military correspondent who has _also _been assigned to help seize these stolen 'assets'. You'll have a few hours to gather any necessary equipment or personnel you might require, and you're largely free to conduct this mission however you see fit. All that I and Atlas Command ask is that you exercise a bit of discretion, and-"

"Don't _completely _destroy their stolen assets?" Jack asked, guessing where this conversation was going.

Just because Atlas wanted some of their stolen hardware stopped didn't mean they wanted it to look like it'd been through the business end of a _trash compactor_.

"It would be greatly appreciated, yes," Ozpin nodded. "Although since Atlas recognizes that no plan remains unchanged after first contact with the enemy, they _will _give you a little leeway."

"Well that settles it, I'm going _travelling_."

_***NEW WORLD***_

"I still can't believe you won a legit _air_-car, and in a school _raffle_, of all things," Arthur said after being picked up from the edge of Patch.

Despite it still being a school day, Jack was able to get Arthur pulled out of classes by claiming it was for a "work training" exercise, and the Faunus' _academic _grades were so good that one day of missed practical wouldn't hurt him.

While obviously he couldn't drop Ozpin's name without drawing unneeded attention to the younger Faunus, in the end, it helped having one of Signal's strongest teachers in your back pocket.

Or maybe _side _pocket.

Long story short, Arthur wasn't going to be hurt by being absent today.

"So… Why call me out like this?" the younger Faunus asked.

"Taiyang talked you up quite a bit this morning, and since I have a mission away from the rest of my team, I figured today would be as good a time as any to see if you lived up to the hype."

"B-But…! Other than giving us those training menus, you've barely _trained _me!" Arthur yelped.

"Once my schedule opens up a bit more, I'll drop by and raise you guys' levels a bit more. In the meantime, just keep your nose to the grindstone. A castle can't be built on sandy ground; only upon firm bedrock can a castle rise."

"Of course…" Arthur replied, having addressed his friends' concerns. "Ruby… hasn't found out about you-know-what, has she?"

"As long as you guys don't say anything about _'that'_, all it'll look like is me training the friends of my surrogate kid sister. Sure, you'll draw a few eyes because of my bloodline if it ever gets around, but other than that there isn't anything outright _suspicious _about what we're doing. Not in _our _line of work at least. Us Hunters and HITs are an eccentric bunch."

"I suppose that's true…" Arthur said adjusting his grip on the sword hilts resting across his legs; the cross guards now appeared to be equipped with modular slots, possibly for Dust Cartridges.

"So, next topic…" Jack hummed, taking note of the younger Faunus' weapon for later usage. "Have any of the _Humans _been giving you problems for getting stronger?" he asked with a raised brow.

"Not yet… I honestly hope they'll just leave me _alone_-"

"Kid, let me give you some free advice. When Humans see a Faunus getting stronger than them, they'll _never_, leave you alone. They see you as a threat, either to their lives or because of some macho _bullshit, _they'll throw everything they have at you until you're either _dead_, or they can't afford to throw any more bodies at you."

"Well _that's _a pretty grim outlook."

"Oh yeah, thanks for reminding me. If any of your peers get jealous of you, they _will _try kiting Grimm your way, so you should be ready for _that _eventuality as well."

"Wait, they can really _do _that?" Arthur asked with wide eyes.

"Ehhh… It's more of a fifty/fifty kinda deal," Jack said waggling a leveled hand. "They either _can _get a Grimm to chase after them and then 'pass the ball' so the Grimm will attack you. _Ooooor, _they can run past you with the Grimm on their tail only for the Grimm to ignore you and keep chasing _them_," Jack clarified. "It's happened to me a couple times because people 'are just the worst', so eventually I figured out that if you just stop thinking _altogether_, you're more-likely to get a free show than you are to _be _the show."

" . . . What… What _happened _to you?" Arthur said glancing between the visible scars on the Faunus' face, neck, and hands.

"When you get stronger, maybe I'll tell you," Jack answered with a noncommittal shrug.

"Okay… So… Why just _me _then?" he asked glancing back at the very-empty seats behind them. "You could've _easily _fit Alana, Andy, _and _all our gear back there too, yet you only called _me _up. Why is that?"

"Well… Let's just say I've taken a _particular _interest in your development."

" . . . It's because I'm-"

"It's because you're Ruby's boyfriend, yes," Jack cut in.

"Oh…" Arthur nodded. "Well… You have any _advice_?"

"On a _healthy _relationship? Ha! Not in _this _lifetime," Jack chuckled with a shake of his head. "Although that might've been more-because I never had a _fixed _address. Any relationship before coming to Beacon was either one-night-stands or friends-with-benefits arrangements for lonely and/or eccentric women out in the world."

"So… you _can't _help me then?"

"I can give you advice on the _sex _stuff if that's what you're looking for~"

"I'm afraid to _ask_… yet I can't resist asking…" Arthur said before sighing deeply. "Haaaaaaaah… Okay. I've tempered my sense of decency in expectation. LAY IT ON ME!"

"Heh. You might just _regret _those words," Jack chuckled darkly.

_'I regret those words already.'_

_***NEW WORLD***_

"And _that's _the story of how I learned that lube, _is-in-fact_, extremely flammable. Just not under normal circumstances."

"I… uh… I don't know what to say to that," Arthur said a half-hour of very _questionable _advice later. "I don't know what to say to that at all."

"Oh, and the glowing blue mushrooms? They're basically crystal meth, _on _crystal meth."

"Are we even on the same page anymore, or did you skip volumes while I wasn't looking?"

"More on that later," Jack said pulling off the main road.

"So… You going to tell me where we're actually going?" he asked, noticing that Patch _as well as _Vale had been left well behind.

"Long story short, I got us a _gig_," Jack said with a smile as he made his way to the rendezvous point. "Remember that colorful robot you and Ruby fought with the scissors on its head? Turns out, Atlas misplaced a _bunch _of tech like that, so _we're _going to get it back; relatively intact at least."

"You say _'we're' _like it's going to be more than you and I."

"Hn, very astute," Jack nodded.

"Yes, it will in fact be more than just the two of us. Since this is _Atlesian _tech that's running rampant, obviously they're sending someone along to oversee proceedings."

"So… some sort of _specialist_?"

"I assume as much," Jack shrugged. "Now remember, regardless of whatever feelings you might have towards Atlas and its borderline fascism military dogma assholery, I want you to be on your very best behavior no matter _what _racist bullshit comes out of their mouth. No matter how _badly _they insult your heritage, and _especially _your mother, I want you to keep your cool. Just because we don't live in Atlas _doesn't mean _they can make our lives a living hell."

"Are Atlesians _really _that bad?" Arthur asked worriedly.

"Like you wouldn't be_lieve_," Jack sighed thinking back to his stint in the icebox.

Which, ironically, was what Solitary more or less was; but that's a story for another day.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Sal-u-_tations_!"

Suffice it to say, this was _not _what Jack was expecting when he pulled the car over at their wave-down on the way to the lumber yard.

_'Really? _This _is the 'military correspondent' I'm being made to work with?' _Jack asked with a twitching brow as he beheld who he was being made to work with.

Aforementioned "military correspondent", who looked anything _but_, took the form of a slender light-skinned girl around Blake's height, her chin-length curly orange hair tied at the back of her head with a pink bow and an ahoge on top. Her eyes a bright green, almost neon, a streak of freckles running across her nose gave her an innocent girl-next-door vibe. Instead of military fatigues or even dress uniform, her attire consisted of a whitish-gray old-fashioned blouse over which she wore gray feminine overalls, her legs clad in black stockings rimmed with lace and neon green stripes running up the sides, a collar-style choker around her throat to match, her shoes a pair of round-toed flats. In terms of equipment, all she carried was a rather _small _metallic backpack that didn't look like it could fit much; it barely looked large-enough to hold an ordinary sidearm and spare magazines.

"My name is _Penny_. Penny Polendina. It is _very _nice to _meet_ you," the ginger greeted chipperly, albeit with very rigid, _robotic _movements as she saluted.

_"Hey, Jack. Is it just me, or-"_

_"Don't worry, I see it too," _Jack whispered on a tone so-low that only another Faunus could conveniently hear.

"I am the military correspondent who will be joining you on today's mission," she continued, seemingly unaware of their hushed banter.

_"The last time Atlas premiered their domestic steward robots, they still looked like plastic. How can this one be so _lifelike_?" _Arthur asked as he and Jack completely dismissed the fact that she was a "meat person".

_"Do you really expect Atlast to show _all _the best toys off?"_

"Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon speaks _very _highly of your abilities, Mr. Braxton, and I fully trust the personnel choices you have _made _for this venture."

_"Okay, when you put it _that _way I sound really fucking stupid," _Arthur huffed with narrowed eyes.

_"_That's _the ticket," _Jack hummed proudly, happy he was rubbing off on the younger Faunus.

"Before we begin the mission, I thought it would be prudent to share what Atlas Command knows about the Robot Masters we will be _subduing _this day."

_"So, do you think she knows?" _Arthur asked.

_"That she's a robot or that _we know_ she's a robot?"_

_"Actually, the politically-correct term is 'gynoid'," _Arthur corrected. _"Since she appears to self-identify as a _female_, she's a 'gynoid'. A robot that self-identifies as male is 'android', while any mono-gendered machine that doesn't self-identify as either is 'just a robot'."_

_"Okay smart-alec, dial it back a bit."_

_"I'm just _saying-_"_

"What are you boys talking about?" Penny asked with a tilt of her head. "Were you already briefed about our opposition and thus do not require a formal briefing?"

"Nothing. / Guy stuff." –the two answered.

"Well, which is it? 'Nothing', or 'guy stuff'?" Penny inquired, her shutter-like irises dilating and contracting with barely-audible whirring sounds.

_"Oh my god, she's learning," _Jack muttered.

_"Wait, do you think _Atlas _knows that we know she's a gynoid, or do they really think she's _fooling _anyone_?_" _Arthur whispered.

_"Don't know. I'll try probing her for info," _Jack returned. "Sooo… Penny, was it? Why were you assigned to this mission?"

"I was tasked with gaining experience in the field while representing Atlas' interests abroad," Penny responded automatically, as though reading from a script. "While the rest of my team trains in Atlas, I will be here, helping establish the Anti Robot Master Taskforce that is being established at our F.O.B., the Atlesian Embassy, in response to the unlawful seizure of outdated, yet _dangerous_, mechanized prototypes," she continued, once-again sounding as though she were reading from a script.

"I see… And… do your handlers have any idea what kind of _opposition _we're looking at?" Jack asked, deciding to shelve the whole robot/gynoid thing away for later.

Only an _idiot _would accept an excuse like Penny being the recipient of a double retinal prosthesis for the camera shutter eyeballs.

"According to preliminary reports, there are only three Robot Masters in place at the now-abandoned lumber yard; DWN. 009: Metal Man, DWN. 016: Wood Man, and DWN. 046: Tomahawk Man," Penny explained as she held out a Holopad, all pertinent info about the three Robot Masters available for their perusal. "All of the Jakobs employees on-site have either left the premises or are confirmed dead; there are _no _hostages," she added _way_-too-chipperly. "In addition, the Jakobs Corporation's adherence to a strong 'family-centric' work ethic means there is a minimal supplementary robot presence to be slaved to the Robot Masters' programming."

"Okay, good. Because if this had happened at a _Hyperion _construction site, we'd be pretty screwed with just the three of us," Jack hummed.

"In_deed_," Penny commented with an enthusiastic bob of her head as Jack and Arthur proceeded to study the three Robot Masters in question.

All three in question were combat-oriented, though first and foremost Jack wondered how-crazy Dr. Wily had to be to make a Robot Master almost completely out of _wood_. Sure, Jakobs firearms were the same way, but that was for _craftmanship_. For a _robot _to be made heavily out of wood seemed like an enormous _fire _hazard. Metal Man was a definitive step-up from DLN-003. Cut Man, his Ceratanium-based projectiles taking the form of circular saw blades instead of boomerang-like scissors. As for Tomahawk Man… Let's just say that certain cultures would find his design racially insensitive, and leave it at that.

"While Atlas Command would appreciate the three Robot Masters being left as-intact as-is-practical without compromising your own wellbeing, the same is not an issue for the worker robots owned by the Jakobs corporation, as they have been sufficiently insured in the event of their complete and total destruction," Penny added with a smile on her face.

_"Is it weird that she's consigning her fellow robots to almost-certain destruction?" _Arthur asked as he cast a worried eye at the chipper robot girl.

_"Roll with it," _Jack muttered. "So… I know what Arthur and _I _are using," he hummed as he appraised the state of his shotgun/axe, Arthur giving his dual swords a final once-over. "What're _you _equipped with, little lady?"

"I am not _little. _I stand at approximately one-point-six-five meters," Penny countered more as a fact, rather than taken as an insult. "As for my armaments, I control fourteen Gun/Blades which I call, 'The Floating Array'," she went on to say as she displayed a plethora of gray-colored blades with round bronze-colored hilts, neon green power symbols, and neon green blades running up the side in a halo behind her back; all of which seemed to float under their own power. "Suffice it to say, I am _combat _ready!" she said proudly with an exuberant showing of her right bicep in a way that just screamed 'We Can Do It!'.

"Good to know," Jack repeated, taking note of the near-invisible wires that trailed off of each blade.

He could sense an _Aura _off this girl, so she definitely had the "overshield" covered that other combat robots lacked, and if Atlas was trying to make super-powered robot girls, who was he to judge?

Hell, for all he knew this was one of those "Full-Body Prostheses" things from science fiction that was actually science _fact_, making the girl closer to a _cyborg _than a full on "fem-bot".

Still, a part of him idly wondered the kind of backlash Atlas would experience if word got out that they were making robot infiltrators in the form of adorable freckle-faced girls.

Of course, since _he _certainly wasn't going to put his neck on the line by trying to blow the whistle, it was _not _his problem.

"So what do you say we split into three, one Robot Master apiece, and whoever gets done first can help whoever is having the hardest time of it?"

"That strategy sounds quite _sound_," Penny answered with an enthusiastic nod. "Well then, shall we be off?" she asked politely as she gestured toward their ride.

"That depends, is Atlas paying us by the hour?" Jack questioned.

"No they are not," Penny replied, absolutely _oozing _with positivity.

"Then we're leaving right now," Jack said ushering his entourage into the car, the Jackwagon dipping noticeably at the rear as Penny put her full weight into the passenger seat before the vehicle equalized.

"So… What do you think Ruby and the _others _are doing right now?" Arthur asked as the hover-car peeled away.

"Who knows," Jack shrugged.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhile…

"Oh my god there's so many of them!"

"I'm running out of bullets, here!"

"Everybody's dying!"

"Someone call a really big exterminator!"

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Probably something easy," the Faunus shrugged, completely unaware of his comrade's plight elsewhen.

"You really think so?" Arthur asked hopefully.

"Well, _yeah_. I mean, what're they gonna _do_? Fight a giant monster in the middle of town and get half the _police _force killed?"

"That does not sound like a desirable outcome," Penny hummed aloud, sitting stock-still in the rearview mirror.

_***NEW WORLD***_

After taking the Jackwagon off the main road, the party of three drove deep into the forests outside of Vale. Normally the raging river would've slowed land-goers down, but the hovercar traversed the raging waters as easily as land, the group making record time as they approached the lumberyard, a large sign reading **Property of Jakobs** illustrating who had the lay of the land.

When they happened upon an overturned vehicle riddled with serrated buzzsaw blades, a monument of _contention _to that very point… Jack knew it was time to hoof it.

"Alright… Let's give his Aurora Nano-Material Coating a _field _run," Jack purred as he started cycling through options on the touch screen, giving the showroom add-on a spin.

The air around the three occupants drying out as arcs of electricity danced through the hover car's frame, like the skin of an octopus, the exterior coating of the Atlas Vehicles Hover Model: Appleseed began to shift from the apple-color red, to a verdant camouflage smattering of green and browns, the vehicle blending seamlessly into the surrounding foliage. A feat that Penny was quite _clearly _amazed by as soon as the trio stepped out.

"Oooooooh~!" Penny awed with wide eyes.

"Yes, yes, very nice," Jack said grabbing the girl by the back of her overalls and dragging her away, a slight grunt leaving his lips at the effort. "Urgh! What'd you have for _breakfast _this morning?"

"Nothing. I do not require calorie-based sustenance-I mean…" she stopped short. "I have a very healthy _appetite_ for a teen aged girl of my size and age," she immediately corrected as though the previous slip-up had never occurred.

A moment later and she hiccupped; quite _endearingly _at that.

And utterly _impossible_ to miss for all but the completely deaf.

_'At least we know what the girl's '_tell_' is…' _Jack thought. _'Unless… her having a 'tell' is actually a diabolical _ruse_…!' _he re-evaluated, the three of them making their way through the underbrush.

_***NEW WORLD***_

The three of them assuming a Delta formation with Jack at the front, Arthur on the left, and Penny on the right, they made their way through the underbrush toward the lumberyard, foregoing the actual road since they had _zero _cover to hide their approach. Jack loaded his shotgun/axe with slugs since buckshot wouldn't do much against robots, Arthur had both swords out, the cutting edge of each blade a different color than the base metal, while Penny happily toted one of her Floating Array blades in its gun configuration, a beaming smile on her face and a spring in her step.

At least _someone _was having a good time.

The treeline eventually opening up before them, Arthur dropping down to his belly and folding back his ears while Jack dragged Penny and her traffic cone-orange hair into the underbrush. The area the lumberyard had dominated, scouted out for its top-quality trees of appreciable age and breed, consisted of prefab buildings serving as trailers, workshops, and dormitories. Woodcutting equipment was scattered about, the freshly-dead bodies telling the tale. From the smell of gunpowder in the air, Jack could tell that the Jakobs employees had put up one hell of a fight, if the battle-damaged state of each Robot Master was anything to attest to. What made Arthur's stomach sink was that the bodies had been left where they'd been felled, the only thing stopping them from getting a sky burial being that the Robot Masters' and their thralls' patrolling of the area shooed them away.

_"How awful…" _Arthur whimpered, feeling his stomach sink.

_"Yes. Awful indeed," _Penny commented, placing her hand consolingly atop his own.

_"So… How do you wanna do this?" _Jack asked as he looked around, eyes aflame with Aura._ "There's no real _rush_… except for the fact that whoever's pulling the strings could arrive at any moment to cart off everything not bolted to the ground. The lumber I doubt there's much of a black market for, but the _guns_…" _he said as his eyes turned to a building proudly labeled **Gunsmith's**; the building itself the rogue robots had taken great care not to damage in any way. _"There would _definitely _be a criminal interest in those. Jakob's 'if it took more than one shot' slogan isn't just for show. Trust me…" _he said as his hand went to his abdomen, the phantom pain of an old gunshot wound prickling his flesh, _"I know what I'm talking about when I say we _can't _let those guns fall into evil hands."_

_"This coming from the guy who torments that Arc boy like some kind of _antagonist_," _Arthur huffed.

His cousin had just as much an ear for gossip as her friend Coco, even if she didn't seem the type.

_"I'm more of a 'nemesis' to that boy than an outright 'antagonist'," _Jack huffed in turn.

_"So what's the game plan, combat comrades?" _Penny asked in a hushed, but still-excited whisper. _"Do we strike now, or wait for a proper tactical assessment of the battlefield?"_

At this, Arthur and Jack looked to one another before the prior drew out a red-and-silver can from his coat pocket.

_"I… might have something that can give us our cake and let us eat it too,"_ Arthur admitted as he popped the tab, Penny's eyes going wide as it transformed into a hawk-like shape.

_"UWAAAAAAAH…! So cooooooool…!" _Penny awed as the mechanical bird took flight.

_"Thank you. I worked very hard on it," _Arthur nodded, a slight flush on his cheeks as Penny looked on with the same awed admiration as Ruby when he'd shown off his creations to _her_. _"I was able to find a small-enough Gravity Node in a model airship and adapted it for this recon drone. Once I get it into position at the start of the path, I'll pre-program a flight plan and have it send me an alert if anything vehicle-shaped happens to pass underneath it."_

_"Oooooooh!" _Penny awed once again. _"And you're saying you made this yourself?"_

_"Y-Yes. A friend of mine asked if I could whip up something like this."_

_"You _can _say she's your 'girlfriend' you know," _Jack quipped with a smug grin.

_"Jacknotnow!" _Arthur hissed the Faunus' way before turning his attention back to the mesmerized robot girl, her eyes now fixated on the Scroll he was manipulating, a literal bird's eye view of the forest scrolling across the monitor.

_"The craftsmanship is utterly _amazing_!" _Penny awed quite openly. _"I can imagine numerous companies would be quite interested in buying this design off of you."_

_"I-I don't know about _that_…" _Arthur stammered. _"A-Anyway..." _he said turning his attention back to his Scroll. _"If they want to actually _haul _anything of value away, they'll have to take the road they've made. If they're going to just _hoof it_, then keeping an eye on the road won't do us much good."_

_"Hey, a lookout _somewhere _is better than a lookout _nowhere_," _Jack shrugged, eyes panning the lumberyard while his two tagalongs drifted away from the clearing. _"How long until your little eye in the sky's in position?"_

_"Another few minutes. I managed to catch a good tailwind just now," _Arthur answered.

_"Alright. Then we'll attack _then_."_

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Penny piped up, the others shushing her before dragging her away from the clearing. "I have something for you guys," she said holding up her hands, a two pieces of plastic the size of thumbdrives being gleefully presented, "new Scrolls, courtesy of the Anti Robot Master Task Force," she said as Jack and Arthur took up the white bits of plastic in their hands, their fingers ghosting across the activation key causing a holographic screen to form out of one side; as opposed to the transparent plastic screen that folded from between the two ends of a normal Scroll. The three's Aura Levels presented, when the Scrolls were held sideways, a tiny blue screen showed a miniature of their Aura Levels, marked by the leading letter of each name and a tiny bar as opposed to a circular gauge around their mugshots. "And the best part..." Penny said taking out rubberized ear-clips, affixing one end to the back of her Scroll before sticking it over her left ear. "Tadaaaaa!" she announced gleefully as a holographic screen curved around her eye, giving it the look of an ultra-futuristic monocle. "Your own wearable all-purpose computer! It's hands-free, so we like to call it a 'Scouter'."

"Oh! Neat!" Arthur awed as Penny held out another pair of rubberized ear clips, the Rabbit Faunus affixing it to his own ear while Jack waved it off.

"Don't you want to know what our Aura Levels are at?" Penny asked confusedly, Arthur off to the side tweaking with his Scouter.

"No need. I can _sense _what your Aura Levels are at all on my own," Jack waved off as he slipped the new hardware into a side-pocket..

"Oh! You can _do _that?!" Penny asked in awe, her eyes wide and glistening at the thought.

"Yup."

"Really?"

"Really, really."

"Oooohhhh..." Penny awed, Arthur unaware of the byplay as he synced his new Scouter to his Scroll so he could see what his Candroid was seeing.

**To Be Continued…**

_***NEW WORLD***_

**AN:  
Thought I'd introduce Penny a little early, minus the caveat of "friend" being thrown around; Ruby being Penny's "first friend" is too-precious to mess with. Plus, given Penny is still in the Prototype stage, and there are ****Mega Man**** Robot Masters running around, it would make sense that in a ****RWBY****/****Mega Man****-type setting, she would be used for that kind of purpose.**

**The fact that she can't be **_**hacked **_**is also a good reason for her to be used against the Robot Masters.**

**Next-chapter we'll be stepping back in time to see what Team RWBY does now that Jack's out of the picture.**

**Like Jack himself said, too much of him could stunt their growth like poison, and this is to show that the others _can _develop without him around. Too many OC-centric stories make the mistake of having the OC be _pivotal _for _any _sort of story development, so I'm going to work on making Jack less-important for plot progression.**

**Tell me what you think of this lead-in in the Reviews column!**


	24. Rat Race

**Blaze1992: **Umm why did he accept the scroll wouldn't someone paranoid and expericened as him realize Atlas most likely bugged that thing to hell and back to keep a eye on such a "wildcard"?  
Also I wonder if that guy will keep running to keep Yang from a having a YANGTASTIC day/night.

**NeoNazo356: **Jack isn't putting any of his _personal _data into the Scroll that Atlas gave him, and in all likelihood he'll just hand it back to Penny until their next mission together since his involvement with the Anti Robot Master Taskforce _is _meant to be kept on the down-low. If he was actually _seen _with top-of-the-line military hardware, he'd have to answer some difficult questions that Atlas might not want answered.  
Mostly why he just slipped it into his pocket instead of wearing it like a Scouter.  
As for "that guy", I assume you mean Taiyang, and he _will _try to clear up that misunderstanding.

**TM11: **Hm, isn't that Scouter a mix of the new Scrolls from Volume 7 and the DBZ Scouters? Apart from that, great chapter! I was kind hoping to read on Jack's thoughts on Vincent and him confirming that Vincent is an Esper and that they exist. I get the feeling that you really don't want Jack and Vincent spending much time together/share the spotlight.  
Back to the Robot Masters! Admitedly, I like parts with them because I'm a fan of Mega Man. Haven't watched the new seasons yet, but I have them on my to-watch list.  
Oh, reading Jack's talk with Tai in the previous chapter made me think of how you'll handle when Ruby loses her "innoncence". Honestly, that's the only think I dislike the most about her. I'm the kind of guy that likes more realistic characters since I'm that type of person too. Don't like how RT has been handling Ruby and her maturing.  
Well, at any rate, keep up the good work.

**NeoNazo356: **Got it in one. When I saw someone with a Bluetooth clipped to their ear, and remembered the size of those military-grade Atlas Scrolls and how a single screen projected from the bit of plastic, I couldn't help but think "Scouter".  
As for Jack's thought on Vincent being an Esper, since it doesn't put _him _in any immediate danger, it isn't "an immediate concern" for a guy with _real _enemies waiting to take their shot at him. Narrative-wise, there isn't much _reason _for Jack and Vincent to hang out together because their social circles don't really overlap. Vincent doesn't know Jack, and Jack has no reason to talk to an RA. Also, there isn't much _reason _for those cogs to interlock at the present, but eventually…  
I've always been a fan of Mega Man, though I mostly played the "Battle Network" and "Starforce" sagas, but now that I have the "Classic Collestions" on PS4 I can play the _classics_. I'm playing Mega Man 11 right now, and I'm getting a real kick out of the [Double Gear] System. *Wink*  
Apart from Adam in Volume 6, Yang never really _killed _anyone, so for Yang to take a life so-early in the Canon, Raider or not, would really shake her in a way that the Canon didn't touch-up-on, like with Yang's own PTSD. Maybe Rooster Teeth is trying to appeal to a wider target demographic, but that's what I enjoy about FanFiction as a story-telling medium; these sorts of interpersonal issues can be actively _explored _since there aren't any "budget constraints" like in visual media.  
Something Deadpool pointed out in "Deadpool VS Mask (Marvel VS Dark Horse)" on DEATH BATTLE!

**Greywing44: **PENNYYYYY! I LOVE HER!  
...Ahem. Inner fan girl stated. I'm so glad she's alive. It broke my heart into pieces when she was torn apart. Anyhow! I like the dynamic with Penny and Jack. With Jack all not giving a s*** that she's a robot, but the mind whirls regardless.  
Fun fact, did not know that bit about the gynoids and Androids. So I guess Cell is still an Android? Cyborg? Now my head hurts.  
By the way, you nailed Penny's speech patterns.

**NeoNazo356: **Yes, well, having the Robot Masters from Mega Man lore show up gave me an ample opportunity to bring her in, though I'll admit _part _of it came from the first RWBY manga where it showed Penny operating in Vale prior to her meeting with Ruby in Volume 2. And _yes_, Penny is positively adorable.  
Well, you know how it goes. "Honey badger don't _give _a fuck."  
I first learned the word "Gynoid" after digging into My Life as a Teenage Robot, and yes, "gynoid" _is _the "politically correct" term for a machine entity that self-identifies as a female. As for Cell, _technically _he falls under the category of "Bioroid" since he's "all-organic", just genetically engineered for powers _comparable _to his Android (16) and Cyborg (17 and 18) siblings.  
Glad you think I got the speech patterns right. I find it helps to _visualize _the scenes as they're happening like in a visual format, and when I put myself in the characters' shoes, the rest just comes naturally. **fairytaildragonslayer** also taught me about the importance of Dialogue, and I feel like that really helped my writing improve since Exposition is pretty important for setting up future scenes. It can't be "all action, all the time", you know?

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So… Jack's out on business and it's just the four of us, just like the good ol' days. What do you wanna do?" Yang asked as Team RWBY perused the Mission Board.

"Hmmm… I dunno…" Ruby hummed, swaying from side to side lazily. "Weiss?"

"You'd know Vale better than I would."

"Blake, what about you?"

"I don't have any strong feelings about our first outing."

Complete and total disaster of their _other _"first outing" notwithstanding…

"So then it's really up to _me _then, huh?"

"Well, you _are _Team Leader, sooo…" Yang trailed off.

"Alright then…" Ruby hummed, scrunching up her face in a way that screamed 'Note. Serious. Face.' "Eeny, meeny, miny, mo-"

"Oh you have _got _to be kidding me," Weiss groaned as the juvenile display continued.

"-catch a tiger by the toe, if he hollers let him go, eeny, meeny, miny, MO!" she shouted as she stabbed a finger into one of the displays.

"Huh. A 'Missing Persons' case. Interesting choice," Blake hummed aloud.

"Well… I guess that's what you get for picking at random," Weiss sighed.

"_Or _you could just pick _something else_," Yang shrugged.

"No, no, we can make this work," Ruby stated. "We must respect the _sanctity _of the 'Eeeny, meeny, miny, mo' song!"

"Are we even _qualified _for something like this?" Weiss asked skeptically, choosing to _ignore _her previous statement.

"Says here it's a low-priority case and the police don't have enough manpower, so the city will pay us for services rendered," Blake said turning her attention to the mission specs. "We aren't actually expected to _find _anyone, but they _will _be tracking our Scrolls the whole time, so we can't just goof off and still get hourly pay."

"Well, it isn't _exactly _what I had in mind… but it's still our job to _help _people, so let's _do this_!" Ruby cheered.

"Yeah!" Yang whooped.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"This is a lot less dynamic than I thought it'd be…" Ruby hummed, Team RWBY aboard the shuttle into Vale.

"Well, Jack took the _car _with him and we can't all squeeze onto the Bumblebee, so it was either this or the airship," Yang said plainly, Blake going over the case file while Weiss appraised her stores of Dust Vials.

"So… Where should we start first?" Weiss asked evenly.

"Let's drop by the police station and ask if they have any new info for us to work off of," Ruby started, her 'Note. Serious. Face.' expression worn proudly. "If anything new's been added to the mission report since it was posted, we'll need to know about it."

"So who exactly has gone missing?" Yang asked.

"According to the file, we're looking at what _appears _to be a serial kidnapping… except there doesn't appear to be any sort of discernible pattern to the perpetrator's motives," Blake began as she pulled up a list of bios. "Race, gender, species, social class; it's all _over _the place, so this could just be an overarching Missing Persons case instead of being carried out by a single individual."

"I have an old friend on the shady side of town that typically knows _everything _going on in Vale. Getting information out of him shouldn't be _too _hard," Yang said mirthfully.

"Try to keep the property damage to a _minimum,_" Weiss said flatly. "Anything you do reflects on _all _of us, so I don't want any sort of… 'Crusher of _Justice_' reputation hanging over our heads; or more-specifically, _my _head."

"Don't worry, don't worry. I won't _totally _level the place," Yang waved off. "Besides, Jack's invested a bit of money into the place on the side, and I don't wanna find out the hard way if screwing over any of his business partners _also _triggers his 'Rage Button'."

"Huh… I didn't _know _that…" Weiss hummed, seeing the Faunus in a new light. "What kind of business are we talking? Commercial? Industrial?"

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Entertainment," Yang hummed aloud, the group of four standing across the street from the Vault of Glass nightclub.

"Why'd you wait so long to answer my question?" Weiss asked confusedly.

"Remember before when you asked what kind of business Jack invested in? I was just finishing the _thought_."

"You said that half an _hour _ago."

"Yeah, but imagine if you were an outside observer just watching pieces of the conversation."

"Ugh, you've been talking to _Nora_, haven't you?" Weiss groaned tiredly.

"It's interesting to _think _about," Yang answered in turn.

"It's _ludicrous_!"

"Yeah, _this _is an argument we want to have in public," Blake said as she and Ruby's eyes followed the back-and-forth.

"I'm… going to see if I can get us a meeting…" Ruby said as she slipped away from the bickering pair, making her way across the street before walking up to the doormen. "Um… _Excuse _me… Sir?"

"Ruby Rose?"

"Oh! Um? Yes, that's me."

"Mr. Braxton added you to the list," the doorman said holding up his Scroll, comparing the girl's face to the one on-file. "You're free to go."

"Oh, well, actually it's my _sister _that needs to get in, said an old friend of her knows everything going on in Vale, only she's a little…"

"Predisposed?" the man asked with a raised brow.

"Yeah! How'd you know?"

"I can hear her from here," he said looking up and across the street, Ruby flushing in embarrassment as Yang and Weiss drew stares, with Blake trying to make herself as-inconspicuous as possible.

" . . . Hold on a minute… YANG! STOP BICKERING AND _GET OVER HERE_!" Ruby shouted, Yang and Weiss jumping in their skin as Ruby fumed cutely at them.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"What do you want?" Junior said curtly.

"Now is _that _any way to greet your favorite customer?"

"_Jack _is my favorite customer. Jack actually _pays _for his drinks."

"Ah! Junior! I'm _hurt_!" Yang cried in mock shock, her hand going to her chest.

"You're also exposing your _cleavage,_" Weiss huffed, her hand resting on her Myrtenaster as she felt eyes roving over her body.

Atlas had its fair share of high-end nightclubs too, but she'd never _been _to any of them since _any _form of scandal could damage the family image.

Maybe nightclubs were just meant to be visited at _night_, but to be at one in the middle of the _day _seemed… wasteful somehow…

"Back to the topic at hand… If you aren't buying drinks, what're you here for?" Junior demanded, trying to get things back on track.

"We're looking into a missing persons case, wanted to know if you knew anything," Yang said sliding her Scroll forward, Junior perusing the contents before waving it off dismissively.

"Don't know nothin' about this. WF, CoM, and the CotM don't really kidnap people so-openly like this."

"Who were those last two?" Ruby asked.

"Circle of Man and Children of the Mind," Junior said plainly. "One's pro-Human, the other's pro-Esper; if you _believe _in that sort of thing."

"Hmmm…" Ruby hummed conspiratorially.

"Ruby, there's no organized group behind this, it's just a random string of kidnappings that the police all lumped together," Weiss sighed as the red-head tried to find strings where there weren't any. "Probably so they wouldn't have to do so much _paperwork_."

"Can we go now?" Blake asked. "I don't want the union docking us our pay because they think we're goofing off at a nightclub in the middle of the _day_."

"Yeah, I think we've got all we're going to get here," Ruby nodded, agreeing to the point.

"Oh! Before we go, gimme a strawberry sunrise. With one of those tiny umbrellas."

"Yang, it isn't even _noon_!" Weiss cried.

"Hey, it's five o' clock _somewhere _in the world," Yang said cheekily.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So… The bartender didn't know anything, and the police didn't know anything _either_…" Ruby sighed an hour later after getting rushed out of the building by the police.

It wasn't that the VPD were especially _helpful_, they just wanted to get the HITs out of the building as-quickly as possible; and the fastest way to do that was to give them what they wanted so they'd leave.

There was _definitely _an underlying sense of resentment between Police and Huntsmen that even _Ruby _was able to pick up on; something she'd keep in mind when choosing jobs in the future.

"I don't get it… Aren't we all on the same _side_?" Ruby asked despondently.

She'd been nothing but _respectful _to the police while she was there, so to have everyone just… _leering _at her… It really _hurt_.

"Just because we're on the same side doesn't mean _they _have to like it," Blake stated. "That the four of us, a bunch of _students_, have the same level of authority in the Kingdom as grown men and women who've had to work for _years _to get the same, spits in the face of all they've ever accomplished."

"We don't have this problem in _Atlas_," Weiss huffed. "Police, Military, _and _Huntsmen all take their orders under the same Council, so we're better-able to pool our resources without all these _imaginary lines _you people draw in the sand."

"Of course it probably helps that you all get _indoctrinated _since childhood," Blake huffed dismissively.

"You call it 'indoctrination', I call it _'patriotism',_" Weiss huffed with crossed arms.

"Societal problems aside…" Blake groaned, wanting to steer away from any in-fighting, "What do we do now? We have _zero leads _and it isn't like whoever's perpetrating these kidnapping is just going to do so right in _front _of us."

"OHMYGODDON'TLETTHEMTAKEMEEEE!" a man squealed one street over, a wriggling black mass carrying him off like ants skittering away with crumbs.

"QUICK! AFTER HIM!" Ruby called out, the whole of RWBY rushing to follow their leader, Ruby right on the tail of the screaming pedestrian. The squad of four rounding a corner, eyes of different colors widened as they witnessed a pair of flailing arms waving frantically in the air as their owner was dragged into the ground. Ruby whooshing off to meet him, hands wrapping around wrists, the red-head's belly dragged across the asphalt before the man's grip failed and he was spirited away, leaving nothing but a gaping hole in the ground and a circular lid of cast iron to tell the tale.

"Oh no! We _lost _him!" Ruby cried.

"But now we know _where _these people are being taken," Blake hummed. "Unless we've stumbled onto something completely unrelated," she amended.

After all, people went missing "all the time".

"So…" Yang hummed as she looked down into the dank, smelly manhole the sudden victim had been absconded away into. "Who wants to go first?"

"I would _rather _die," Weiss spat, her nose crinkling in disgust.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Even though a life was _literally _on the line, Weiss _vehemently _refused to go down into Vale's sewers.

Not that they could really _fault her _for that. Each and every one of _them _had their own deeply _personal _reasons for not wanting to go down there either.

After Weiss threatened to cancel Ruby's gun order at **More Dakka**, the heiress was swiftly exempted from sewer duty, leaving the remaining three to go sewer spelunking.

_***SQUEAK!***_

"AAUUUGH! RATS!" Ruby cried the moment they touched down on the walkway.

" . . . One or two," Blake commented, her low-light vision taking in the sight of rats by the _dozen _skittering around just outside their line of sight. "I wonder…" she hummed as they started to walk around, Ruby using her Scroll's light to lead the way. "Was the sewer built because _Vale _was here, or was Vale built because the _sewer _was here?"

"Seems like a chicken-and-egg thing to _me_," Yang hummed.

"It's chicken-_or_-the-egg," Weiss huffed from topside, Myrtenaster at the ready in case she absolutely _had to _go down there.

"HEEEEEY!" Ruby called out. "IF ANYONE CAN HEAR US! MAKE A _NOISE_!"

_"Heeelp meeeeee!"_

"That way!" Ruby called out, breaking away from the others in pursuit of the voice in the distance.

"Ruby! Slow down! You don't wanna-"

"WhoawhoawhoawhoaWHOA!"

"-trip," Yang deadpanned as Ruby's boots started slipping, the girl flailing out over the murky quote/unquote "_water_".

Yang _prayed _that was just water.

"Don't worry! I've _got _you!" Blake said snaking out her Gambol Shroud to catch her.

However, before Blake could carry out her dashing rescue, Ruby's foot lashed out at the air over the water, a loud _***POOF!* **_ringing out as she kicked off of the air and back onto solid ground.

"Whoo! Nailed it!" Ruby whooped as she stuck the landing.

" . . . Remind me to ask _Jack _for some after-school lessons, because I _really _wanna be able to do that," Yang gawped as Ruby avoided the worst spill in the history of worst spills. Ever. Of all time.

"Get in line," Blake said frankly.

Sure, she could move through the air with her Semblance just the same, but the ability to do so _without _Aura…

Many Hunters took for granted that people could be amazing even _without _Aura. Sure, Aura could let people walk up walls and even on _water_, but the ability to make your body as hard as iron _always _had a robust market in the workplace.

_"Heeeeelp! Heeelp! Oh god heeelp!"_

"Don't worry! We've got you! Just hang on a little longer!" Ruby cried as she ran off; albeit a little more mindful of her footing.

_"UWAAAAAGH! HELP! HELP! HEEEEL-"_

"Guys, I think we just lost him," Blake shuddered, _not _liking the way his voice suddenly cut out.

"Not yet! If there's a will, there's a _way_!" Ruby cried as she corkscrewed through the air, Blake and Yang following the trail of rose petals Ruby left behind.

The cries of the panicked pedestrian coming in starts and stops, Ruby followed behind while Blake and Yang could only appreciate the rose-scented trail Ruby left behind, Weiss following from the rooftops as best she could.

Eventually, the cries stopped entirely, but Ruby had enough of a bead that she knew where to go.

When the tunnel opened up into a huge circular drop-off however…

"OH CRAP OH CRAP! DAMN YOU GRAVITY!" Ruby cried as the floor fell out from under her and she was left flailing haplessly through the air.

A moment later and a black ribbon snaked its way around her waist, the girl hauled through the air and back onto the ledge by her amber-eyed teammate.

_"SHHHHHHHH!" _Blake hissed, her hand clamped over the girl's mouth as they retreated from the mouth of the tunnel.

_"Why? What do you see down there?" _Yang asked.

_"You don't wanna know," _Blake said with a shudder.

_"Well, we can't just turn around and do _nothing_!" _Ruby hissed back.

_"No, really, you guys _don't _want to know," _she insisted.

_"Why? What's the worst that could be down there? A couple _rats_?" _Yang asked as she confidently swaggered forward and shone her Scroll light down into the abyss, thousands of beady red eyes snapping up to look at her simultaneously.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Six seconds later…

"RAT STAMPEEEEEDE!" Yang cried as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her, she, Blake, and Ruby firing backwards into the oncoming horde, which dominated the tunnel wall-to-wall like a _tidal wave_. "OH MY GOD! THEY'RE _EVERYWHERE_!"

"YANG! WHY THE _HELL _DID YOU ANTAGONIZE THEM!" Blake cried as she emptied out her magazine, frantically fishing for another.

"THEY STARTLED ME!" Yang cried out as she fired two shots backwards, launching herself off her feet and into the air above her teammates' heads.

_***SIX SECONDS AGO***_

"OHFUCK!" Yang cried as she fired a shot from her Ember Celica into the veritable _carpet _of rat-shaped Grimm with a loud _***BANG!***_, furry bone-covered bodies thrown upward like a geyser.

_***NOW***_

"AND _RUBY_ WASN'T MUCH HELP _EITHER_!"

_***FIVE SECONDS AGO***_

"GROSSGROSSSGROSSGROSSGROSSSGROSSGROSS!" Ruby squealed as she fired round after round into the rat-carpet, each _***BANG!* **_of her sniper rifle causing the Vermin to evaporate into a red mist, Blake frantically trying to haul them away from the now-irate Plague.

_***NOW***_

"WHAT ABOUT THE _PEOPLE_!?" Ruby cried out.

"DID YOU _SEE _THE RAT-CARPET! THEY'VE BEEN PICKED CLEAN!" Yang cried out.

"Well at least we know what happened to the people _now_…" Blake trailed off.

"Weiss! WEISS!" Ruby squealed into her Scroll.

"What is it? And what is that _noise_?"

"No time to explain! Just make sure the streets are clear! We're coming up, and we're coming up _hot_!"

"Alright, I'll see what I can do. I'll tell you when I'm ready."

"HURRYYYYYY!" Yang cried out, one of the Vermin leaping up and clutching to her hair.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"EVERYONE! CLEAR THE ROAD! IT'S AN EMERGENCY!" Weiss shouted as she threw up a waist-high wall of ice across the street behind her, angry pedestrians honking their horns at her before a shotgun blast launched the nearby manhole cover upward, the vehicles on the other end of the road squealing to get out of the way of the falling lid, Yang shooting herself up from the sewers a moment later.

"CLOSEITUPCLOSEITUPCLOSEITUP!" the blond said frantically as she fired a staccato of rounds down the hole.

"Move!" Weiss said as she swiped out her Myrtenaster, a sheet of ice covering the hole the moment Yang threw herself to the side.

"Bigger!"

"What?"

"BIGGER!" Yang demanded, the heiress throwing a column of ice over the sheet. "BIGGERRRRRR!"

"Why? What's _down _there?" the heiress asked, a loud bruxing noise causing her head to snap back to the column she'd just summoned, a writing black mass of fur and teeth burrowing up out of the ground and _into_ the ice.

"MOVE YOUR ASS! THAT ICE WON'T HOLD 'EM BACK FOREVER!" Yang cried as she grabbed Weiss by the back of her bolero and hauled her off her feet.

"Yang Xiao Long WHAT DID YOU _DO_!?" the heiress demanded as a geyser of rat-shaped Grimm spilled out of the ice and into the street, causing pedestrians to scatter in all directions.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"HOW COULD THERE BE THIS MANY GRIMM UNDER VALE WITHOUT ANYONE _REALIZING IT_!?" Ruby cried as she and Blake ran like their lives depended on it.

Because they kinda did.

"IT'S THE _SEWERS_! SEWERS HAVE BEEN HOME TO NIGHTMARISH CREATURES FOR _GENERATIONS_!" Blake cried.

One of Dr. Oobleck's history lessons portrayed the sewer systems in the past as having an almost Dungeon-like presence, where guilds of "Verminocitors" would peril the cavernous depths to slay creatures too large for the local cats to deal with.

Of course, as technology improved, many of the "guilds" became antiquated, before being outmoded altogether.

What was happening _now_… was proof of what happened when you marched into the future too quickly.

"DAMN YOU MARCH OF PROGRESS!"

"WHO ARE YOU YELLING AT?"

"YES!"

"BLAKE I GET THAT ON OCCASION _YOU'RE_ THE FUNNY ONE BUT NOW'S _REALLY _NOT THE TIME!" Ruby cried as she grasped at her Drill Rounds, before thinking better of it and drawing out a pipe bomb conveniently labeled **Emergency Pipe Bomb **in bright red letters.

"Where were you even _keeping _that thing?!"

"DO NOT QUESTION MY METHOOODS!"

_***NEW WORLD***_

_***BOOOOOM!***_

"What the hell is going _on _down there?" Weiss cried as part of the street behind them bulged upward.

"RATS!"

"Rats? Wait, do you mean _literally _or-"

"SO MANY RAAATS!"

"Okay, glad we made _that _clear," the heiress deadpanned. "RUBY! WHAT HORNET'S NEST DID YOU _KICK _DOWN THERE?!"

"RUNNING NOW! _BITCH _AT ME LATER!"

"_WHAT _DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME?!" the heiress shrieked aghast.

"SHE SAID 'BITCH AT ME LATER'!" the blond beside her answered. "AND QUITE FRANKLY, I _AGREE _WITH THE SENTIMENT!"

_***BOOOOOM!***_

"Seriously, what the hell did you _do _down there?!" the heiress repeated.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Blake… I'm sorry!" Ruby panted as they ran, the minutes ticking on. "I'm sorry I kicked the hornet's nest!"

"Save your breath… We still need to get out of here," Blake said looking over her shoulder. " . . . Got any more of those pipe bombs?" she asked hopefully.

"Two per mission's my limit," Ruby said bashfully.

Blake couldn't tell if she was _joking _or not.

"So… Any idea how to get the fuck _out _of here without getting turned into _rat food_?"

If they tried climbing out of the manhole and the lid was still topside waiting for them…

"Blake… I have an idea… that's _probably _going to ruin someone's day."

"Ruby, all the missing people we've been hunting have probably been turned into rat food. I think we're well _beyond _someone's day being 'ruined'," Blake said flatly.

" . . . You know what, good point," Ruby nodded. "_Weiss_! I have an idea!"

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Alright Ruby, you're going to want to hang another left! After that, it's a straight shot to your escape point!" Weiss instructed as Yang set up tripods around a manhole in the center of the Commercial District.

The rat-flood couldn't corner very well, so once that'd been found out, it was just a matter of finding a good point for the two still trapped underground to escape through.

"Lights are on!" Yang shouted as the floodlights shone into the sewers, which to Ruby and Blake shone like a beacon.

"I see it! Blake, hang on, I'm getting us the _hell _outta here!"

A moment later and a swirling blur of red and black shot out of the manhole, the heiress stabbing her Myrtenaster into the inner wall and filling the portal with her strongest ice a moment later.

"Okay, they're out! _Now _what?" Yang asked as she ran over to Ruby and Blake and started fretting over them.

"We fill the sewers with enough rat poison to kill a small country and let nature run its course," Weiss answered as she proceeded to coat the surrounding street. "I'm sure the Council will understand when I forward them the-"

_***CRACK!***_

"…bill…" Weiss said as her stomach sunk, the whole of the street bucking underneath them as something _massive _protested.

"Wwwhat was _that_?" Yang asked as she looked at the crack running between her boots.

"That… was a very… _veeeery _bad thing," the heiress shuddered.

"Should we run…?" Ruby asked tiredly, exhausted from the non-stop fleeing she'd been doing. "Cause I'm not sure how much more of that I've got _in _me…"

"Wait… Now the horde's changing _direction_," Blake said as the road-bucking moved _away _from them, like a shark changing direction in the water.

"Quick! What's in that general direction!?" Weiss asked as she frantically typed into her Scroll.

"Police headquarters," Yang answered.

"How do you know _that_?" the heiress asked before the blond grabbed her cheeks and turned her head, a large building labeled-

**HEADQUARTERS**

**VALE POLICE**

-looming in the distance.

"Why're the Grimm going _there_? The police are the _good _guys… right?" Ruby asked worriedly.

"Accepting bribes, racial profiling, general _corruption_? Take your pick," Blake said as the girls ran after the Grimm teeming beneath the streets.

"Quick! We have to _warn _them!" Yang cried.

"Why? They're just a bunch of _rats_. What's the _worst _that could happen?" Weiss asked skeptically.

**Cue Pacific Rim OST – Category 5 by Ramin Djawadi**

A moment later and the parking lot in front of the VPD HQ exploded upward, police cruisers sent flying in every direction as a massive Vermin Lord erupted from the sewers, thirty feet tall on its hind legs and loosing a bellowing roar as lesser Vermin fell around it in a deluge like raindrops.

" . . . You were _saying_?" Yang asked sarcastically

"I… am _so _glad I didn't go down there…" Weiss said fighting the urge to vomit as thousands of lesser Vermin _blanketed _the block.

"How did something that massive even _fit _in those tunnels!?" Ruby panicked, the thing _far _broader at the shoulder than the tunnels they'd been spelunking moments ago.

"Actually, rats have a flexible skeleton that lets them squeeze into extremely tight spaces," Blake said matter-of-factly.

"We don't have time for your Animal World _bullshit_!" Weiss shrieked panickingly, whereas in the back of her mind she was comparing the specimen before her too the "Lesser" Vermin that Jack had caught for her.

Size notwithstanding, the specimen under her command and the one looming over the police headquarters were largely identical. The only areas they were notably different was the shape of its skull-like bone helmet, now including sharpened molars exposed to the open air in the back of its mouth, a thick mane of fur wrapping its neck like a lion's, a heavy band of armor running down its back, additional plates of armor on its forelimbs and hindlegs, flattened spines on the end of its bone-colored tail like a tuft of fur, and a heavy set of rib-like armor encircling its chest. There were numerous scratches and pockmarks on its bone armor, countless bladed weapons impaled in them marking its age, one of its ears having a chunk missing like it'd been blown away with buckshot.

"That's… a _very _big rat…" the heiress shuddered as thoughts of such a monster living underneath _Atlas _came to mind. That such a monster could… _explode _from the very earth at a moment's notice filled her with dread, which was why she snapped a photo so Atlas wouldn't be caught unawares. Even if it wasn't glamorous, she was sure _someone _would be patriotic-enough to take up the role of the Verminocitors of olde. "Guys… I think we might be out of our _depth _here."

"You _think_?!" Blake yelped frantically as she spammed the **SOS** button on her Scroll until the screen cracked around her finger. "Quick! All of you! Get the word out on your Scrolls! If all four of us send out a distress signal, Beacon will _have _to send Huntsmen our way."

"I'm pretty sure they'll be able to find out something's wrong all on their _own_," Weiss said as the Vermin Lord wreaked havoc, plumes of smoke rising from demolished buildings as its bony tail whipped about.

"Well, at least we've got _backup_," Yang said hopefully as numerous VPD officers started discharging their weapons into the massive creature's hide through the windows, only for its thick fur and hardened bone armor to soak up most of their rounds, very little in the way of _actual _damage being inflicted.

"Quick! We have to _help _them!" Ruby shouted as she broke off into a sprint and fired rounds at the Grimm's head, round bouncing off the bones around its eye before the Grimm turned its attention to her, and _away _from police headquarters. "Guys! While I keep this thing distracted, help the police!"

"Right, cause it looks like they _really _need it!" Yang nodded as the majority of the flood _poured _into the front doors, panicked screams filling the air as the tide of Vermin flowed up the steps like a river in reverse.

_"Oh my god there's so many of them!"_

_"I'm running out of bullets, here!"_

_"Everybody's dying!"_

_"Someone call a really big exterminator!"_

-said such voices in the distance as those inside misplaced their fecal matter.

"This is worse than I _imagined_!" Weiss retched as they stormed into the precinct, bodies absolutely _teeming _with Vermin that swarmed over them, the fresh scent of blood intermingled with blood-curdling screams as the lesser Grimm made meals out of police and criminals alike.

What was further proof of the Grimm being drawn to corruption within the VPD was that while police and criminal alike _were _being messily devoured, spattering the floor and walls with viscera, younger criminals and police officers who had yet to give into vice and temptation in any truly meaningful fashion _-as far as Grimm were concerned-_ were actually being passed _over _by the horde.

"Quick! Everyone out of the building!" Weiss shouted at the top of her lungs.

A moment later and screaming bodies covered in rats fell past the windows behind her.

"_Not_ what I meant!" the heiress shrieked indignantly as a sickening _***SPLAT* **_was heard.

"Less screaming, more shooting!" Yang said as she blasted the Grimm carpeting the floor, Blake letting out a flurry of slashes with her own blades, Weiss relegated to skewering lesser Vermin like peas on the tines of a fork.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"This is bad… This is really, _really _bad…" Ruby shuddered as the onslaught of screams continued to get to her, lesser Vermin and Human bodies tumbling out the police headquarter windows like a pot boiling over.

_***SKREEEEEEEE!***_

"AAUUUGH!" Ruby cried as she flew away from the Vermin Lord's downward paw strike, the vehicle she was standing on crumbling like a tin can underfoot. "Not good. Notgoodnotgood_not_good!" Ruby cried as she discharged round after round, her shot group wide within trembling hands.

Casting a sidelong glance at the police headquarters, officers and criminals alike fleeing while others were being accosted by pursuing Grimm, the sound of shotgun blasts told her that _Yang _at least was having a good time, though compared to all that business with the Ruby of Grief that'd turned their _other _teammate into a kill-happy murder-beast, she had a hard time deciding whether this or _that _mission for Team RWBY was worse.

A shadow looming over her, Ruby dissolved into a plume of rose petals and whirled up and away, firing off another couple shots to keep the Grimm kited toward her before kicking off the air and going sidelong as the Grimm lunged at her, its incisors snapping shut on the space she'd occupied moments before.

The girl flying onto a rooftop and hiding behind an AC unit, Ruby caught ragged breaths as sweat trickled down her temple, adrenaline surging through her veins and making the breaths she took seem so much _smaller _than needed.

A moment later when **This Will Be The Day by Jeff Williams** blared loudly out of her Scroll, the girl let out a panicked scream and fumbled for the Answer button before bringing the communicator up to her cheek.

_"SHHHHH! Be very, very quiet. I'm being _hunted_," _she whispered.

_"Ruby, I received your Team's distress signal and the giant Grimm you're fighting's been plastered all over the news,"_ Ozpin whispered over the line. _"I'm scrambling a shuttle to bring reinforcemtns your way as quickly as I can and LOOK OUT!"_

Ruby realizing the shadows around her had thickened, whirled away just as bone-white molars bit into the AC unit like a block of cheese, metal crunching and giving way as Ruby descended back to street level. Metal plating and parts falling from the Grimm's mouth as the AC unit was spat out, Ruby's retreating boot soles almost met open air had she not kicked off of the void and back onto the asphalt, her back now to the enormous breach that'd been made.

_***HIISSSSSSSS***_

"So… Done in by a giant rat…" Ruby panted, feeling the drain her Aura had taken from using her Semblance so much. "I'll admit… _not _how I thought today would go…"

"That's _quitter _talk, Ruby!"

Flares exploding across the right side of the Grimm's face, Yang leapt out of the top-floor window she'd been occupying before grabbing a fistful of the Grimm's mane and sending shotgun blasts toward its eye, only for the Grimm's flailing to save its flame-colored orb from destruction. Weiss skating in on her Glyphs and casting a sheet of ice over the breach so no-one'd fall in, right as the Grimm sent Yang pinwheeling upward in preparation to wolf her down, a black ribbon snapped around the blond's waist before bringing her back to ground level, the blond's hair exploding in a plume of flame just as the Grimm's left foreleg came down atop her, the ground cratering but Yang's knees refusing to buckle.

"So Ruby…" Blake said as Yang uppercut the Grimm's forelimb and sent it reeling with a super-powered blow. "You happen to have a secret _weapon _in that satchel of yours?" she asked hopefully as the Grimm fought to spatter Yang on the ground like a bug.

**Cue Pacific Rim OST – Title by Ramin Djawadi**

"Ah! I _do_!" Ruby realized, frantically digging through her ammo pouch and feeling around for _just _the right ammo block for the occasion.

"Well, get it ready and make it _snappy_. We'll be lucky the city doesn't _sue _us after this is all over," Blake said leaping back into the fray alongside Weiss and Yang, buying Ruby the time she needed.

"Arthur…" Ruby whispered as she held the magazine of drill-tip rounds in her hands; the ones he'd custom-tooled just for _her_. "Wish me luck," she said pecking the emblem before slotting it into Crescent Rose, ratchetting the bolt, steadying her breath, and taking aim.

_***BANG***_

The drill-tipped round squealing with a- _**WHIRRRRRRRRRR!***_ -as it sliced through the air, the carbide tip meeting one of its armor-like ribs, sparks momentarily guttered forth before the round breached the Grimm's hide and exploded out the back a moment later, the massive Grimm shrieking in agony as miasma billowed out the wound.

"YES!" Ruby cheered. "ARTHUR I _LOVE _YOU! MWAH!" she said kissing the side of her weapon.

However, the jubilation she felt was short-lived, as the Vermin Lord's full attention was now turned on _her_, its acidic saliva dribbling onto the street and eating holes into the asphalt.

"Ohhhh _crap_baskets…" Ruby muttered weakly before taking aim and firing again, the Vermin Lord despite its massive girth quite _agile _as it weaved to the side, its flanks getting grazed instead of a full-on bodily breach. "GUYS!" _***BANG!* **_"I NEED YOU TO HOLD IT DOWN!" _***BANG!* **_"I CAN'T GET A CLEAN SHOT!" she cried out, sobbing inwardly at every wasted round lost to her. _'Such a waste!' _she wailed in anguish.

"We're on it!" Blake said from the rooftop as she launched her Gambol Shroud with a _***Bang***_.

The Variant Ballistic Chain Scythe whirling through the air, Blake grabbed part of her ribbon and snapped it back, drawing it taut causing the kusarigama to whip under and over the Grimm's neck. Yang swooping in and snagging the weapon, a shot of her Ember Celica across her body sent her careening toward the ground where she dug in her heels. The Vermin Lord rearing back pulling Blake and Yang along for the ride, the blond turned the weapon on herself with a roar and fired a trio of rounds into her exposed abdomen, her hair exploding in a plume of flame right as Weiss stabbed her Myrtenaster into the ground in front of the Grimm, a sheet of ice forming at the Grimm's feet right as Yang found the strength to wrench the Grimm to the ground with a guttural roar.

The entire block trembling from the meteoric force of impact, the monster's head whipping wildly as its claws fought for purchase, Ruby took aim before firing another Drill Round with a _***BANG!***_. Sparks flying as custom-tooled carbide tip met armored bone, a moment later bone fragments from the Grimm's outer clavicle exploded out its right shoulder blade, the explosion of pain and its claws finding purchase giving the Grimm the strength it needed to rear up to its full height. A blood-curdling squeal piercing the air and causing glass panes to tremble in their frames, Blake and Yang were sent for a loop, the blond sent through a storefront window while Blake was sent pinwheeling upwards.

The Grimm opening up its maw as Blake plummeted helplessly into its waiting gullet, a flash of white and a powdery plume of snow flared off to the side before a massive armored limb materialized, striking its throat in a powerful lariat that sent it for a loop of its own. Its massive black frame crushing several vehicles on the way down, Yang dashed in and wrapped her arms around Blake before her back met a frozen ice-slide, the two flying away from the crater site.

"Great shot, Ruby!" Yang cheered as she helped Blake to her feet.

"Yes, but we're not done _yet_!" Weiss said as the Grimm rolled onto its belly, the front of its body held up by its left forelimb while its right dangled limply, a thick plume of miasma spilling out of the spiral-ground wound though its shoulder.

The Grimm leering at them with absolute loathing, burning hate-filled eyes darted around the area before it whipped out its tail and impaled an armored van on the end. The bony spines on its tale flaring _outward_, the vehicle was suddenly heaved sidelong.

"RAT FLAAAAAAAIL!" Yang cried as the Vermin Lord swung out its improvised weapon like a morning-star, Ruby hauling Weiss away in a cyclone of whirling cloth while Blake grabbed onto Yang and left a clone of them behind.

"IT CAN USE _TOOLS_!" Ruby cried as the Grimm grabbed fistfuls of the nearby buildings and flung them like grapeshot, the girls throwing themselves behind parked vehicles which were utterly _pulverized _by the assault, an enormous wall of dust being kicked up as the Grimm whirled around with its "Rat Flail" and demolished the surrounding buildings.

"Oh _crap_! I can't see a _thing_!" Yang blanched, choking back a cough as slate-colored dust filled the air.

"Maybe not, but in the end, your eyes aren't the _only _way to see," Ruby said whirling around the side of her cover and taking a knee.

Her eyes drooping closed, tuning out the smell of flaming rubble and the sounds of panicking pedestrians, Ruby listened for the Grimm's footfall, then the next, and the third after _that _before raising her gun barrel to the spot she knew the Grimm would be, and firing another round into the wall of dust. A spiraling void of empty air cut through the gritty soup, the Vermin Lord's pain-filled shriek let the girl know she'd hit her target despite the thick haze around them; something the Grimm had _not _been expecting.

"Great shot, Ruby!" Yang whooped excitedly. "How many more of those party favors you got left?"

"Five more, give or take a few."

"Well, you'd better make those shots _count_," Weiss said as her Myrtenaster glowed teal before she thrust out the tip, a cyclone of wind billowing outward and catching the follow-up swing of the "Rat Morning-Star" and stopping it just-short of hitting them. "Because I doubt this thing's going to go down without a FIGHT!" she said channeling more Aura into her blade, the cyclone growing in size and throwing the weapon back, its bone spines catching the asphalt on the way down.

"Weiss! Hold it down a little longer! I'm gonna pull a Monster Hunt on this thing!"

"Pull a _what_?!" the heiress gawped confusedly.

"Just _go _with it!" Yang said slamming her fists together, fire exploding off her mane before she flung herself upward and struck the Grimm atop the skull, sending its chin plummeting into the asphalt once more.

While the others kept the Vermin Lord busy, Ruby fired another two Drill Rounds into the most-compromised-looking part of the Grimm's tail before switching back to the Concussion Rounds, snagging her scythe blade on the damaged plates, and pulling the trigger.

_***BANG!***_

The Grimm rounding on her as metal bit into flesh, Ruby chuckled awkwardly as her scythe failed to make the cut. A moment later the girl let out a terrified- "EYAAAAAGH!" -as the Grimm swung out its tail, taking her for a ride had Blake not snagged it with her Gambol Shroud and used a lamp post as leverage. A bone-crunching ankle-strike from Yang caused the Grimm's stance to falter, giving Ruby the opening she needed to empty out the last of her Concussion Rounds before the "Rat Morning-Star" came free in a spray of miasma and ichor, the Grimm letting out a panicked squeal of its own as it was flung to the ground by its loss of equilibrium.

"There! No more Rat Flail!" Yang whooped.

"I can _not _believe we're _calling _it that!" Weiss squawked.

"MOVE! CUTTING OFF ITS TAIL ONLY MADE IT MORE PISSED!" Blake squealed as she dragged Weiss away from the Grimm's pain-fueled retaliatory strike, its subsequent tail swipes _far _less-deadly, but still devastating in their own right as cars caught in their wake were flung like toys.

"Yang! Before the Rat Flail completely evaporates!"

"I'm on it!" the blond nodded, her hair coming alight as she grabbed the remaining end of the tail, dug in her heels, and wrenched the spike-laden vehicle from the ground. Letting out another guttural roar as she gained some momentum, a few seconds later the blond let it loose like a hammer throw. "Oh crap! I missed!" she cried as the Grimm ducked and the vehicle flew high.

"No you didn't!" Weiss said summoning her Arma Gigas' arm and uppercutting the Vermin Lord in the chin, the Grimm's torso snapping upward before the spiked van-borne flail caught it between the shoulder blades, the Grimm letting out another yell as all twenty-seven tons plus-bone-mass sent it plummeting to the ground.

"Quick! While it's _stunned_!" Blake called out.

"CHEW OOOON _THIS_!" Ruby shouted as she leveled her Crescent Rose at the stunned Grimm's muzzle, the last of her Drill Rounds punching holes through its incisors with a- _***BANG-BANG* *BANG-BANG* *BANG-BANG-BANG!***_

Flame-colored eyes going wide in their sockets, the Grimm let out ragged coughs as miasma billowed out of both its ruined maw, and the superfluous new asshole Arthur's carbide-flavored tic-tacs made on the way out.

**END OST**

"YEAH! How'd you like _THOSE _breath mints, dragon breath!?" Ruby trash-talked.

"It's _dead_, Ruby," Weiss deadpanned. "You're trash-talking a _corpse_."

"Hey, you can let the girl trash-talk. She had to spend all her boyfriend's lovingly-made _party _favors on that thing."

"Y-_Yang_!" Ruby squawked with a blush on her face.

"What? It's _true _isn't it~?"

"Y-Yeah but… You're em_barrassing_ meee!"

"Ruby, who're you going to be embarrassed in front of? Everyone _left_," Blake said gesturing to the ghost town around them. "Eesh. Police _headquarters _definitely took a beating," she winced as she saw the ruined building off to the side, many of the lesser Vermin retreating into the dark corners now that their food source had been exhausted.

"Don't worry. I'm sure the VPD has a robust and steady stream of candidates in the wings to replenish their depleted numbers," Weiss stated in as-upbeat of a tone as she could find amidst the carnage.

"Yeah, maybe in _Atlas_, but in _Vale_, most of the police are just Hunter and Border Patrol dropouts who only sign up so they can lord power over everyone else after failing out so-horribly," Yang said dismissively. "If the police were _any _bit competent, guys like Torchwick would _not _get as much traction as they do, and if they weren't all _corrupt _they wouldn't have been turned into Grimm-chow when there's three Huntresses-"

"-in-training."

"-in their general vicinity," Yang said amidst Blake's interruption, remembering how it was _Ruby _that'd chased Torchwick away from that Dust store, _not _the police.

_That_, and, some of that may've been what she thought _Jack _would say if he were there.

Disposition aside, the guy added a certain _flavor _to the team that RWBY lacked before.

That and a bit of eye candy for the _girls _to enjoy, but that was a story for another time.

"Soooo… Mission acc_omplished_?" Ruby asked hopefully, the whirring of a shuttle from overhead heralding the arrival of their backup… Late as it was.

"Team Ruby! Are you alright?" Glynda said alighting next to them with her Glyphs.

"Yeah, don't worry, Goodwitch, we're A-okay!" Yang answered with a winning smile.

"Maybe, but the police _headquarters _does not appear to be as such," Port hummed.

"Girls, what did you _do_?!" Glynda demanded as she beheld the damage in full.

"What brave huntresses have done for _centuries_, my dear Glynda. _Survive_!" Dr. Oobleck proclaimed proudly.

"And you girls bested this creature all on your own?" Port asked. " . . . Wait, weren't there _five _of you?"

"Jack's off on business, so we're short our big gun."

"I thought _I _was our big gun," Yang whined at Blake's comment.

"No, it's obvious that _Crescie _is the big gun," Ruby argued.

"You can argue semantics _later_, ladies," Glynda sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. " . . . The Council is _not _going to like this."

"Hey, to be fair, this wasn't a giant monster-slaying quest, we were just hunting missing persons," Weiss stated.

"By the looks of these skeletons, I would presume that the missing persons you were hunting prior to this altercation met a similar fate?" Dr. Oobleck asked as he beheld the flesh-stripped skeletal forms scattered about, the occasional strip of flesh or eyeball left behind.

"Yeah… _URP! _Pretty much," Ruby retched.

"Well… It was only a matter of _time _before the constables' hubris got the better of them," Port hummed, a few of the stragglers poking up from their hiding places.

"Wait, you _knew _this was going to happen!?" Weiss squawked.

"Well, not _immediately_, and certainly not in _this _exact fashion, but police corruption has _never _been stronger than the arc of history."

"Hey! History is _my _'schtick'!" Dr. Oobleck argued.

"FOCUS!" Glynda snapped. "Girls… I assume you at least _attempted _to mitigate the damage?"

"Um… Guys?" Blake spoke up.

"Define… _'attempted',_" Ruby requested.

"Guys?"

"So I assume you did _not_."

"Ahem. _Guys_!"

"It's a little _hard _fighting a giant monster without causing collateral," Yang stated frankly.

"GUYS!"

"WHAT!?" they all rounded on her.

**Cue Pacific Rim OST – Title by Ramin Djawadi**

"The monster's getting back up," Blake said poignantly, the bone spikes protruding from the armored van evaporating allowing the improvised weapon to fall from the Grimm's back, flame-colored eyes snapping open before a gut-wrenching _***SKREEEEEEEE!* **_bellowed out into the air.

"Ohhh _crap_baskets," Glynda muttered.

"Oh, you say that too?" Ruby chirped.

"RUUUUUN!" Port bellowed, discharging a fireball from his Blunderaxe into the Grimm's face.

_***SKREEEEEE!***_

"I thought you said you _killed _that thing!" Glynda yelped in surprise.

"I gave it a superfluous new _butthole_! It was _implied_! VERY! _STRONGLY_! IMPLIED!" Ruby screeched as they all scattered.

"Where's _Jack _when you need him?!" Weiss cried. "Last I checked, killing giant monsters was _kind of _his beat!"

"Hey, we don't _need _Jack!" Yang yelped.

"NobuthispresencewouldbeGREATLY_APPRECIATED_!" Blake squealed as the role of "cat & mouse" found themselves para_doxically _reversed.

"Do not worry, young miss! I've _got _you!" Dr. Oobleck declared, a hearty sip from his thermos taken before he whipped it out, turning his drinking implement into a large _torch_. "**Fire Arte: Flame Lance!**" he yelled sweeping his thermos/torch through the air overhead, a large corporeal lance of flame shooting out and spearing the Grimm through the side, flames spewing out of its mouth _and _its "superfluous new butthole".

"Yeah! How's _that _for a 'burning sensation'?" Yang whooped.

"Not the _time_, Yang!" Ruby cried as she dragged her sister out of the way, Glynda levitating three crushed cars overhead before raining them down like meteors, the Grimm buffeted further and further into the ground until its head was smothered in asphalt.

"HAVE AT THEEEEE!" Port yelled as he loosed a carpet of flame upon the ground, the asphalt bubbling and melting causing the Grimm to sink into the road.

"Ugh! Smells like burning _hair_!" Yang retched.

"I'm surprised you aren't already _familiar _with the smell."

"It's not _real _fire!" Yang snapped at Weiss.

"Could've fooled _me_…"

"FOCUS!" Ruby screamed as the Grimm flailed its way to freedom. " . . . _Guys_…! That thing's REGENERATING!"

"What?! Impossible! Grimm aren't possessive of self-healing properties…!" Dr. Oobleck said confusedly.

"But look at that! The wounds! They're…!"

"Healing…" Glynda bit out, the mortal wounds of its flesh closing up while bones knit back together; albeit imperfectly.

"How is this _possible_?" Dr. Oobleck asked aloud, more _curiosity_ than _fear _in his tone.

"There must be an unknown element at work here… Port! Concuss it! Schnee, when I hold it up, split it open with one of your Summons! The rest of you hold down its tail!"

"Got it!" the two of them responded, Port casting his upperclothes aside and bulking up while Weiss readied a massive Glyph behind her. "NOW!" Glynda shouted as a trio of purple Glyphs formed around the Vermin Lord's ankles, sweat pouring down the woman's brow as the held the flailing creature aloft, Ruby, Blake, and Yang pinning its tail by their own means.

"**RISING DRAGON FIST!**" Port bellowed as the ground exploded underneath him, the now-bulky man ascending in a flying uppercut, his fist coated with flame as he struck the underside of the Grimm's skull-shaped helm, its brain rattling about inside its skull.

"**GIANT SLASH!**" Weiss bellowed out as the massive armored arm of her Arma Gigas appeared from the Glyph, the heiress rearing her weapon back before the two blades came down, the enormous blade carving the Grimm open like a Thanksgiving turkey from its left shoulder to its right hip.

"There! Inside its body!" Dr. Oobleck shouted, his finger extended towards a luminous crimson orb nestled where the creature's heart would be, its surface textured like swirling clouds amidst a setting sun.

"It's a Crimson _Orb_!" Weiss gaped with wide eyes. "But it isn't as _big _as the one from before…!"

"Oobleck! Stop the wound from regenerating! Schnee! Rip it out!"

That Dr. Oobleck neglected to insist acknowledgement of his doctorate showed he was willing to set such trivialities aside aside in a time of crisis. The man adjusting his glasses before raising up his thermos/torch, he dug in his heels before pouring his Aura into his weapon, the Red Dust inside it catalyzing before an enormous column of flame spilled out, burning flame meeting regenerating flesh as it tried to close around the crimson treasure within like hands grasping treasure, the PhD holder stabbing the pommel of his weapon into the ground as he struggled to keep his aim true.

"Commmme… onnnnn…!" Weiss groaned, sweat pouring down her brow as the Glyph from before grew larger and turned to the side, the massive arm retreating into the runic formation before a burst of snow-colored light erupted and the upper body of the Arma Gigas in all its glory burst forth. "**SONIC THRUST!**" the heiress shouted stabbing her rapier forward, the Arma Gigas' longsword letting out a _***BOOM!* **_as it broke the sound barrier and impaled the Grimm through the neck before it could dodge.

Glynda's burden immediately lightened as the Grimm's body went slack, the Arma Gigas abandoned hold of its weapon and dove headlong into the monster's gaping wound, armored fingers digging into flesh and wrapping around the Crimson Orb within. Sweat positively _gushing _out of Weiss' body as she strained with all her might, the remainder of Team RWBY, abandoning the Grimm's now-limp tail, wrapped the ribbon of Blake's Gambol Shroud around the Arma Gigas' chest and heaved with all their might. Yang's hair exploding in its own torrent of flame, their combined Auras dropping like a stone as they heaved, Ports muscles rippled as he wrapped the end of the ribbon around his own hands and gave a mighty heave of his own, the combined effort of novice and veteran Hunters alike bearing fruit as sinews of muscle snapped and tore one by one by one by one until, finally, the heiress' body was flung backward as the Crimson Orb broke free, sailing through the air as the last strip of flesh holding it inside the Grimm snapped, the Arma Gigas evaporating almost immediately-after.

**END OST**

"So… Think we got him _that _time?" Yang asked sarcastically, the blond laying limply on the ground.

"I _won't_… be leaving that _up… _to _chance_…!" Glynda bit out as the whole of her body became alight with a purple aura, veins throbbing in her forehead as the Grimm's body folded backwards with a bone-powdering _***CRUNCH!***_, before it was folded completely in two with a _***SNAP!***_, the professor drawing both arms across her body as she proceeded to _wring _the Grimm like an oversized towel, black ichor gushing out of its utterly pulverized body only to evaporate before it hit the ground. A compressed orb black as pitch dropping to the ground with an earth-shaking _***THUD!* **_a moment later, Glynda's hands went to her knees as sweat poured down her face as her work of Auric prowess reached its conclusion.

"Whoa… Remind me never to get _her _angry…" Yang shuddered as she stared at the compressed rat-ball, a deep crater left in its wake as it was dropped.

"I _never_… want to _do _that… _ever_… again…" the heiress groaned tiredly, the "circuits" her Aura circulated through burning across her exhausted frame.

"The difficulty on that Mid-Boss was _WAY _too high…!" Ruby groaned exasperatedly.

"Seconded…" Blake sighed, too tired to say much else.

"Girls… You did very… _very _well all things considered," Glynda sighed as Dr. Oobleck helped her to her feet and Port deflated. "I think you've earned a reprieve."

"There isn't enough money in the _world _to make me take on a mission tomorrow," Weiss groaned as her muscles burned. "Not by a _long _shot."

"Wait, do you really _mean _that?" Ruby asked with wide eyes.

"Literally and metaphorically, yes."

"Man… Wait 'til Jack hears about _this_…!" Yang said with a goofy grin.

"We… should probably downplay all the _collateral_…" Blake said looking around.

"Yeah… you may be _right_…" Yang winced. Now that the sounds of combat had died down, the utter lack of any _other _noise was almost… _haunting_…

"Of course, all Jack has to do is turn on the _news _to see how bad things are," the ravenette conceeded.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"You were rather _kind_, sending those girls back to Beacon the way you did," Dr. Oobleck hummed as he and Goodwitch made their way through the tunnels Team Ruby had taken to their final destination.

It wasn't _hard _to follow the trail, especially with his thermos/torch lighting the way; just follow the walls covered in teeth and claw-marks.

Like someone'd gone to town with a _sand _blaster. Or maybe a _belt _grinder.

Of course just to be sure, they made sure to mark their way with some chalk arrows on the floor and walls.

It was old-fashioned, but a Huntsman never left home without chalk.

Amongst _other _things, but that was a story for another day.

"Yes, well… Like I said, I think they've _earned _their reprieve. They went above and beyond what was expected of them, and many more lives would've been lost had they not acted."

"Though that doens't change the fact lives _were _lost…" Dr. Oobleck sighed. "Not that I'm putting the blame on _their _shoulders!" he winced back at the look Glynda shot him. "What I meant to say was… had the Verminocisters' Guild still been around, such a heavy congregation of Vermin would've never been alowed to accumulate as it had."

"Something I'm sure you'll be quite _willing _to bring up at the next Council meeting," Glynda concurred, willing to subject the politicians to Oobleck's own brand of torment. "Having a massive Grimm attack inside the heart of the Kingdom… It's just a good thing it was only a plague of Vermin, Vermin _Lord _notwithstanding. If it were anything _collectively _larger we could've had a real _catastrophe _on our hands."

The only reason the VPD HQ had been so-ravaged as it was, general corruption notwithstanding, was because there were enough Vermin in one case to _blanket _it. Had the Vermin been more spread-out, anyone with the nerve could've easily flattened the lesser variety underfoot, and individually, Vermin weren't so brave as to hazard a well-aimed boot. The plague's _confidence_, if it could be called that, came largely from their overwhelming numbers and the Lord they congregated around.

"Yes, and on a subsequent note, I'm quite surprised we were able to recover an intact Crimson Orb following this debacle. With the way the previous specimen mysteriously vanished following… what _happened_," he worded carefully since "the walls have ears" as the saying goes. "I was worried I'd never have the opportunity to study another," Dr. Oobleck said looking on the bright side of things.

"Hm. Yes. While it _does _seem to be the same kind of supernatural formation as before, the fact that it's much _smaller _would explain why Port was able to handle it so-easily."

At first, there'd been a major freak-out when Port had picked up the thing with his _bare hands. _However, when nothing happened beyond those around it having a _chill _run up their spines and experiencing a general feeling of dread, it was decided that size equated to danger, and that this one _could _be handled; even _moved_.

At the _moment _the Crimson Orb they'd recovered from the Grimm's viscera was being held in a padded case usually reserved for bomb disposal.

On a rather dark note, there wasn't really anyone around to protest them _borrowing _aforementioned expensive carry-on.

"Of course that doesn't discount the fact that in the wrong hands, er, _paws_, a Crimson Orb could be a devastating weapon," he commented, recalling how a Grimm of that size could regenerate moment-to-moment. "I shudder to imagine what would've befallen Vale had a Crimson Orb fallen into the clutches of a conventionally more_-powerful_ Grimm. Had a Boarbatusk come into contact with it, we might've had to contend with a living wrecking ball the size of a _Behemoth_," he speculated aloud.

Boarbatusk were fast, but relatively small. Behemoth were enormous, but incredibly slow even at a gallop. Put the two _together _and…

Well, use your imagination…

"Save the nightmare fuel for detention, I think we're nearing the end of the tunnel," she said turning a corner, the large dropoff they'd been told about visible in the distance. The two professional Hunters steeling themselves, Oobleck leading with his torch and ready to incinerate anything that moved, they strode toward the mouth of the tunnel before looking down.

Whereas before, Yang only had a Scroll light to call upon, with Dr. Oobleck wielding a full-on torch, the chamber they beheld was seen in a new light; quite literally at that.

"My _god_…" Dr. Oobleck gaped, Glynda retching off to the side as they beheld the sight that awated them without a plague of Vermin to hide it from sight.

Skeletons. _Countless _skeletons.

Some of them were from pets like cats, and dogs, and reptiles, even the occasional bird that'd gotten loose, but the sheer _bulk _of it which almost _carpeted _the bottom of the chamber, were Human and Faunus alike, from every age bracket imaginable if the size of each skeleton was any kind of indicator.

"How many do you think were the homeless?" Dr. Oobleck said as he ran estimates on the bodycount.

And that was just for the bodies that hadn't _completely _decomposed.

"How many do you think _weren't_?" Glynda returned.

"Fair point," Dr. Oobleck said swinging out his torch, a collection of fireballs descending the depths and illuminating every dark corner before guttering out. "How long do you think this has been going on?"

"Who knows? How long would it take for a Lesser Vermin to become a full-on _Lord_? When-even was the last time a Lord was _seen_?" Glynda questioned.

"Many decades. So many in fact that the populous has forgotten the terror that lives under their feet."

"I doubt they'll forget about it any time _soon_," Glynda sighed. "I saw bodies topside with their _Scrolls _out. That means _some _of the dead were _recording _the whole thing before being skeletonized."

"While the loss of life _is _regrettable, you can't deny that any conclusive _evidence _of this travesty will go a long way in securing our Kingdom. Not just what walks the land, swims the seas, or flies the sky, but that which burrows the ground as well."

"And this isn't even really a _burrow_. It's just a pre-existing drop-off into the lower levels."

"Which has me wondering…" Dr. Oobleck said as his hand went to his chin. "If these are the monsters we _know _about…"

"Where are the ones we _don't _know about?" Glynda finished, the two peering into the darkness a minute more before she steeled herself. "Tell Ozpin we'll need a fully-sized crew of undertakers sent down here. If these remains aren't cremated and enough Geist get in here…" she trailed off.

"I'll get right _on _it," Dr. Oobleck nodded, already a step ahead of her. "If you want… _I_ could get started while _you_ go topside instead," he suggested after a pause, a nervous shuffle of his hands intermingling that statement.

"No," Glynda said with a shake of her head. "The sewer systems are _rife _with flammable vapors. If we attempted to cremate the bodies on-site, we could wind up turning every water fixture in the district into a _flamethrower._"

"Ah, fair point," Dr. Oobleck said collecting himself, a flush of embarrassment rising to his cheeks. "Lost _control _of myself for a moment. I _apologize_."

One simply didn't opt to use a _torch _as a weapon without being subject to momentary fits of pyromania; even the _premeditated _variety.

"Sooo… _I'll _go topside then. What about you?"

"I still have enough energy to contain any Geist that might make their way in here while you go for help. I'll leave once Ozpin assembles a taskforce to relieve me."

"Ah, good idea," Dr. Oobleck nodded. "It wouldn't be very cost-effective to call a cleanup crew down here only to learn the human detritus _literally _got up and walked away," he chuckled, his laughter dying on his lips as Glynda shot him a look. "Uhhhh… Ahem. _Right_! I'll just be off," he said turning on his heel before rounding on Glynda again. "Here. I feel like you might need this more than me," he said holding out his thermos to her. By the sound of it when it shook, there was still a third left.

"What about you? How will you light your way back?"

"Don't worry, I _never _leave the house without a bundle of _road flares_!" Dr. Oobleck said producing a bundle of aforementioned flares from… Uh… from…

"Where were you even _keeping _these?" Glynda asked incredulously, Dr. Oobleck opening his mouth to respond before zipping it off.

_"DO NOT QUESTION MY METHOOODS!"_

" . . . _Uuuuugh_…" Glynda groaned tiredly as she rubbed her temples, took a sip of the coffee, and then lit one of the flares Oobleck had left behind in his haste to dodge the question. "It's just going to be _'__one of those days'_, isn't it?" she asked aloud.

Her only response was the clattering of bones as the carpet of human detritus settled beneath her.


	25. Lumber Jacks PART 2

**Greywing44: **Ok gotta ask, Vermincide...Sounds familiar. Is it a reference to Goblin Slayer? And if so, did you get insperation for the chapter from it? And maybe a little from Witcher?  
Also I never imagined Ruby would use little party favors like pipe bombs and grenades. But it makes sense with their monster hunting style. Brings me back to such games like, God Eater, Monster Hunter, and so on. You think Traps are also going to be a thing as well?

**Re: **"Verminociter" is another Cinder Spires reference, just like the construction of Airships in **Chapter 19: World of Remnant: Airships**. While Goblin Slayer _IS _one of my favorite LNs, I can't really introduce "Goblins" in the same context, so it'll either be meta-fiction, or not included at-all in this story. Of course, I _may _make Cameos, but no Crossovers. Haven't played Witcher, though the role of a Hunter _is _comparable to what a Witcher does, only with more gunpowder and gunpowder expys.  
Well, she _does _have a friend who's from a bomb-making family; think the Bomb Shops in Legend of Zelda. She's bound to have some "party favors" other than her sniper rifle, just little chance to use them. And yes, for hunting "monsters", which the Grimm are equivalent to in context, it pays to have some high-power toss-and-forget weapons in the arsenal. As for games like God Eater and Monster Hunter, I played a _little _God Eater but didn't get too into it, indirectly played with the GE cast in Project X Zone and Project X Zone 2, and while I haven't played Monster Hunter, I _do _plan on some Cameos and Crossovers, though given the context, it'll be a sub-crossover with Toriko that's been blended into the "World of Remnant" fabric.

**Blaze1992: **If their reacting this bad to rats wonder what their reaction would be to the graboids from tremors movies.

**Re: **Well, to be _fair_… Their _initial _reaction to the "Plague" of Vermin was bad because they were trapped in an _enclosed space _with them; think Xenomorph levels of horror only there's _thousands _of them and they're the size of big rats. As for the _latter _reaction, other than having to see Vermin literally _skeletonize _people like a school of monkey-eating pirhanas, one of them was the size of a large building hence the Pacific Rim music (which _really _got the creative juices pumping; it helps more than you'd think).  
In a one-on-one basis Rats are adorable; I had two of the "Fancy Rat" breed and I loved them with all my heart. However, when there's enough to blanket a _building_… That's when it starts to get creepy. Especially, ESPECIALLY, if it happens to you.  
As for the Graboids… Never saw Tremors, but I imagine if they saw someone get _taken _it'd be a stock horror movie reaction; whereas in-comparison Jack would be a horror movie "connoisseur". Hell, half the stuff he did in the White _Fang _was like stuff from a horror flick… only _he _was the axe-wielding psycho-killer, though that's a different point entirely.

**skinnnydude: **This was a good chapter, I thoroughly enjoyed team RWBY's actions in dealing with Vermin Grimm and it was pretty funny (especially the part with Blake being in the reverse situation of a Cat vs Mouse chase). Ruby certainly is growing as a leader to know when it's time to call in for backup and help.  
I feel like you missed the perfect opportunity to throw in a Rick and Morty reference in the killing of those rat grimm. Basically think the Pickle Rick episode and you can understand what I meant by that.

**Re: **Yeah, I had fun writing in Blake being chased by a rat, _as _a cat; the irony was quite delicious. As for Ruby knowing it was time to call for _backup_, _that _was because there were lives on-the-line at that exact moment; any form of "showboating" would only occur by someone very narcissistic, or if there were a "buffer" to anyone's lives being in danger. But yes, RWBY being thrust into responsibility they weren't _ready _for is a good impetus to write in character growth.  
As for "Pickle Rick"… Don't really see how _that _could be worked in, if _that's* _what you meant by that last comment. Biggest problem of-course is that Grimm "evaporate" upon death, and also the fact that the Vermin Lord is basically a "low-end Kaiju" and none of RWBY would be capable of _wearing _something that large if it were made into "rat power armor".

_***NEW WORLD***_

Metal Man, Wood Man, and Tomahawk Man, had once again been reprogrammed for wicked ends.

The key difference between this and past instances however, was that all vestiges of their original selves had been completely suppressed.

In place of the original vibrant personalities that made them seem almost human despite their metallic composition, the three of them were now the soulless machines that most saw machine-based life as; if entities of data, and circuits, and metal could be called "living".

For reasons they were incapable of showing concern about they had been ordered to attack the Jakobs-owned lumberyard and kill "anything that moves".

Normally a well-programmed robot would be _incapable _of such actions, due to the nature of Roboethics, but these robots were well-programmed no longer; some would even argue they weren't well-programmed to _begin _with.

Back in Giga City, that the Robot Masters possessed complete and total autonomy wasn't much of an issue as far as human life was concerned because all the areas that got taken over had been properly evacuated once the Robot Masters had begun slaving the nearby labor robots to their own programming.

_Now _however that wasn't the case if the dead bodies scattered about had anything to say about it.

The Jakobs corporation believed that a man was entitled to the sweat of his brow; hence, the only jobs they relegated to robots were the ones _impossible _for ordinary humans to carry out, such as carrying whole-fell trees to the cutting stations. Apart from that, everything else was done by Human and Faunus hands.

As such, there weren't that many robots _for _the Robot Masters to hijack, barely half a dozen, whereas the human employees numbered in the dozens, and had put up a hell of a fight as brothers and sisters of the Jakobs family fought tooth and nail to protect one another.

Only one, the youngest out of all of them, had managed to escape through an opening the others had made, and he'd been able to hold on long-enough to send a message back to Jakobs that they were being attacked by rogue robots.

Of course, to the Robot Masters, as they were, they were incapable of recognizing the kind of sacrifices that had been made. Instead, all they saw were their directive, and the obstacles that got in their way.

All efforts to make man and machine comrades had been completely subverted, and no amount of goodwill could ever change the sentiment that machines weren't deserving of autonomy if _this _was what they chose to do with it; even though _choice _was the _last thing _on their hard drives.

The three Robot Masters and their thralls encircling the lumberyard with single-minded determination as they awaited their human masters and further orders, the cluster of machines remained blissfully unaware that they were under attack until a large neon green energy blast shore through two of the large tree-carrying robots. The robots' attention turning inward, another tree-carrying machine had its CPU utterly annihilated by an overhead axe strike, whereas another received a sword thrust into its main power source.

The Robot Masters, scattered around the lumberyard in a radial formation, turned their attention towards the new obstacles that had presented themselves; two Faunus, and one combat android.

The Robot Masters _attempted _to interface with what they recognized as a fellow machine, but for some reason they were unable to do so.

Believing it to be a fault in their own hardware, the Robot Masters attempted to do so again, only to no avail. It was as though whatever this robot was, its Bluebox had been completely walled-in, with no backdoors or ports to exploit of any kind.

The three intruders suddenly breaking away from one another, taking out whatever robots got in their way as the Robot Masters were approached, Metal Man, Wood Man, and Tomahawk Man's attack protocols were initiated.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Get out of my way!" Arthur shouted as he used his superior agility to slash at the power couplings of every labor robot in his path, robots large and small felled in his wake like the trees that had once stood around him as he made his way to the southeastern quadrant.

The tree-moving robots, not built for combat, were easily felled as were the tool-carrying models.

The same however could not be said for the Robot Master controlling them. Though they may've been out-of-date, they were _far _from "obsolete", and even without an Aura protecting them like Penny had, these machines were not to be taken lightly.

Combat Androids, by-default, were capable of "thinking at the speed of light". The only things to really slow them down were the Platforms the AI was loaded onto, and of course the competency of whoever was programming them.

All robots, be they Domestic or Military in application, were _supposed _to be programmed with the Three Laws of Robotics in mind. "_Supposed to_" being the operative words, since if the rogue Robot Masters hadn't been "jailbroken" as they were, the Jakobs employees would still be alive.

The Robot Masters of-course _had _been given complete Autonomy in the past, but at least their _original _masters had restrained them enough so the gutters of Giga City wouldn't run red with Human and Faunus blood.

Now, however, that wasn't the case. Any trace of their original personalities had either been suppressed or completely erased, reducing the Robot Masters to mindless killing machines like in the movies; and Arthur was going to be fighting one of them…

True, he'd gotten a confidence-boost from finally getting his feelings across to Ruby _and _coming under the tutelage of an older Faunus from an esteemed bloodline, but he was still a Rabbit Faunus, and _his _bloodline were skittish and fearful by nature.

What separated him from the animals that Humans thought Faunus were, was that Faunus could act _against _their deep-seeded nature; something that ultimately made them "people" on equal standing with Humans even if they wanted to deny it tooth-and-nail.

Shaking all unnecessary thoughts loose, Arthur's ears, dancing atop his head and picking up every odd sound, ruled out that all the other robots in his general vicinity had either been taken down, or were going after the others, leaving only himself and Metal Man.

'_It's almost _fitting_, that the next Robot Master I fight would be the functional evolution of Cut Man,' _Arthur hummed as he gave the RM a once-over.

Where Cut Man looked comical, Metal Man looked equallly deadly. Colored predominantly red with yellow accents and blue trim, Metal Man had serrated buzzsaw blades emblazoned on his forehead and shoulders, and slots in his palms where compressed Ceratanium buzzsaw blades could be discharged.

The blueprints by themselves gave a pretty clear-cut idea to what Metal Man's specifications were.

Of course, considering someone went through all the trouble of stealing and _reprogramming _them, it wouldn't surprise Arthur if the Limiters had been tampered with in some fashion.

While removing such limiters would compromise the inner workings and reduce longevity, most who used robots in the short-term had no problem "voiding the warranty" as it were.

For that reason, Arthur readied himself for _anything_ as Metal Man regarded him coldly with glowing red optics, all emotion drained from its human-like visage.

"Target Lock."

"Let's _do _this thing."

**Cue Mega Man 2 OST Metal Man Stage [New Remix]**

Metal Man throwing out an opening volley of blades, Arthur dodged to the side, his ears picking up the sound of them sinking _deep _into the felled trees behind him. His _stomach _proceeded to lurch as the sound of metal meeting flesh met his ears next.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out one of the bodies had just been desecrated.

His blood boiling in his veins, Arthur rushed at Metal Man as fast as his legs could carry him, the Robot Master lunging backwards and launching another volley. Dodging the first two and bringing up his sword to intercept the third, the Faunus teen's weapon was wrenched from his grasp as the projectile bit deep into his weapon, pain exploding up his wrist as it was sent flying into the air.

_'SHIT!' _Arthur swore as he ran in the opposite direction, realizing Dr. Wily's alloying technique for Ceratanium must've been _far _superior to that of Dr. Light's if the Ceratanium cladding he'd applied to his own weapons had been trumped so-easily. _'Okay, so swordplay's a bust? _Now _what?' _he asked as he ran, his ears allowing him to dodge the thrown projectiles aimed at his blind spot as he bound gracefully across the field; far faster and with greater agility than any Human.

And Humans _wondered _why Faunus considered themselves superior.

_'Needtofindaweapon needtofindaweapon needtofindaweapon-THERE!' _Arthur gasped as he locked eyes with one of the prefab buildings; the lodge of the Jakobs gunsmiths who made some off the highest-powered firearms on the designer market.

With no door on the side of the building he was approaching however, urgency crawling up his spine as Metal Man threw "curveballs", Arthur kicked up a stone before sending it flying with his other foot, the window gaining a large crack before Arthur dove through it at full clip.

It wouldn't do to dive in with too _little _force, after all.

Shards of glass tinkling around him as his sleeves were torn to shreds, Arthur rolled to the side as Metal Man's projectiles easily cut through the wall at his back, sailed across the workshop, and bit into the wall opposite the window he just came through.

Blood pumping as he took everything in, the first sensation that assailed his nostrils was the scent of sandalwood. Next was metal shavings, and gun oil after that, with blood, sweat, and tears both literal and metaphorical tinging the air as well.

Most of the weapons were still in an incomplete or disassembled state, and Arthur wasn't a skilled-enough gunsmith like Ruby to assemble a weapon on the fly, but by the time Metal Man had retrieved his blades from the far wall and kicked in the door in pursuit, Arthur's mad scramble for a functioning weapon had borne fruit, the loud _***BLAM!* **_of a Jakob's shotgun cracking the air like a whip as the Robot Master was thrown back, a sizeable number of fresh dents in its chest plate, plumes of smoke rising from the double-barrel Jakobs shotgun now resting in Arthur's hands.

Most would've aimed for the head, but when it came to shotguns, unless you were _literally _standing at point-blank range, the best bet was to aim for center mass, and with how-easily Metal Man's projectiles cut through… _everything_…! . . . it was a sure bet that trying for a point-blank shot wasn't going to do him much good.

Grabbing a canister of gunpowder from the nearby loading bench and giving it a hurl, the tin container clanged against Metal Man's left foot before Arthur loosed another shot, a loud _***BA-BOOOM!* **_shaking the earth as Metal Man was consumed in a fiery explosion, the Rabbit Faunus fleeing as his ears rang and his arms trembled.

Diving into a trench that used to be a river, Arthur rolled back against the nearby wall only to retch as the scent of rotting flesh and buzzing flies assailed his senses, the teen shoulder-to-shoulder with not one but _two _Jakobs corpses.

The sound of mismatched footsteps sounding from above him, Arthur tucked his ears back and used the reflective surface of his sword like a mirror. In the reflection, Metal Man was limping in his general direction, most of the armor on its left foot stripped away revealing the charred endoskeleton within.

The Robot Master spotting the glint of his weapon, Metal Man holstered another blade before throwing it underhand, followed by two others in a spread-shot pattern. To both Arthur's amazement and horror, the blade began to _roll _across the ground, losing absolutely zero of its cutting power as they headed towards him. Leaping away from the earthen wall and planting his sword at an incline, flat-side-forward, the first-thrown blade followed the sharp incline of the wall before coming right towards him, riding up the flat of his blade before flying up into the air, the corpses he'd been shoulder-to-shoulder with a moment before split in two down the middle causing a fresh wave of nausea to roll over him.

Metal Man cresting the hill with metal blades at the ready, a loud rooting tooting _***CHWOONG-CHWOONG!* **_sounded as the projectiles were thrown from his hands, his target holding up a pair of Jakobs revolvers, the Faunus's lips drawn into a thin line and tears welling up in his eyes as the scent of viscera washed over him.

Ten more rounds assaulting the Robot Master's body, staggering it backwards violently with each direct hit, Arthur vaulted up the hill, sword drawn to cleave the android's bad leg off at the ankle and turn the tide of the fight irrevocably in his favor.

"Speed. Gear."

Blue energy exploding out of Metal Man's body before coiling around him, to Arthur's shock the Robot Master _literally _ran a circle around him, far faster than anything in his blueprints had implied was mechanically _possible _of such an outdated frame.

The Robot Master now at Arthur's back, the red-colored robot a veritable blur until it'd stopped, metal blades flew through the air forcing Arthur to dodge frantically. To equal parts amazement and horror, Metal Man ran another circle around him, actually _intersecting _its own blades before letting them fly again, the circles of death screaming through the air at breakneck speeds.

If it weren't for his years of keeping track of Ruby's movements as she trained her Semblance, he'd have been turned into sandwich meat within the first _seconds _of the one-bot phalanxing maneuver; let alone the whole _three minutes _of non-stop firing.

Sweat beginning to sting at Arthur's eyes, his limbs burning and the revolver ammo he couldn't even _use _turning more and more leaden in his pockets with every passing second, as the noose slowly tightened around his neck, the Faunus' blood began to pump faster, and _faster_, and FASTER! So fast it threatened to burst through his veins like a ruptured _pipe_!

His heart slamming against his ribcage like a jackhammer to the point that it _hurt_, life flashing before his eyes as Metal Man's blades began to nick at his body, each cut growing deeper and deeper, tears spilling out as thoughts of never being able to see Ruby, his _everything _ever again, raced across his grey matter, all at once the collective will of thirty _trillion _cells expressed themselves!

**Cue No Game No Life OST - IZUNA**

**"BLOOD DESTRUCTION!" **Arthur-nay, his entire _body _roARED, THE SPACE AROUND HIM GROWING IMPOSSIBLY BRIGHT AND METAL MAN'S BLADES IMPOSSIBLY SLOW AND HIS RUINED COAT FLARING OUT BEHIND HIM AS HIS HAIR STOOD ON-END!

THE FAUNUS' SKIN STAINING RED AS CAPILLARIES BURST AND RUPTURED! CRIMSON EYES GROWING WIDE AND MANIC AND HIS INCISORS SHARPENING! BLOOD _COURSING _THROUGH HIS VEINS LIKE A MIGHTY RIVER! THE FAUNUS SCATTERED THE CONTENTS OF HIS POCKETS INTO THE AIR! REVOLVER CYLINDERS TRACING INTRICATE SILVER LINES THROUGH THE AIR AS ARTHUR WOVE AROUND METAL MAN'S BLADES! BOTH CYLINDERS SNAPPING SHUT! ARTHUR FIRED TEN SHOTS DEAD-CENTER AT METAL MAN'S CHEST! BEFORE FLIPPING BACK AND FIRING ANOTHER TWO AT THE EXACT CENTER OF THE METAL BLADES SENDING THEM SCREAMING BACKWARD!

BULLETS STRIKING WITH A _***DINGDINGDINGDINGDINGDINGDINGDINGDINGDING!* **_ARTHUR THRUST HIS REMAINING BLADE THROUGH THE WEAKENED METAL BEFORE SLIDING UNDER THE ROBOT MASTER'S LEGS! A MOMENT LATER METAL MAN'S OWN BLADES BIT INTO HIS WAIST AND NECK! THE METAL BITING DEEP INTO THE WAIST WHILE THE HEAD CAME CLEAN OFF!

AND THEN! SUDDenly…! As THouGH a swITch haD bEEn fLIppED…

It was over.

**OST END**

Dropping to his knees and gasping for an impossibly-large amount of air as Metal Man literally went to pieces behind him, Arthur's eyes went every which way, trying in vain to process what happened as the inexplainable haze that came over him evaporated.

The _***Thud*Thud*Thud* **_of metal hitting dirt sounding from behind him, Arthur whirled around to see Metal Man in pieces on the ground behind him.

"Did I…? Did _I _do that…?" Arthur gawped as the red tribal markings scattered across his body vanished beneath his notice as he tried to come to terms with the destruction before him, his involvement in it as-evident as his remaining blade impaled through Metal Man's power core.

A moment later the Faunus dropped to his hands and knees, cheeks bulging before blood burst out of his mouth onto the ground beneath him in a torrent, a pain unlike any he'd ever felt before _ravaging _his body, the edges of his vision darkening…!

"N… NO…!" Arthur gasped out as blood continued to dribble past his lips, the taste of copper overwhelming everything else as he fought back the blackness. "I… will not _lose_… to this…! I… will _not_… say _goodbye_…!" he told-_ordered_ himself, thoughts of Ruby's smiling face dulling the pain in his body like cold water as he forced himself to his feet. "I _won_…! And I won't let… some mindless _machine_… _take _that from _me_…!"

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhile…

_"I'm still reeling from that fight with the sky pirates," _Jack muttered to himself, his right arm tingling as he skillfully decapitated worker robots with his off-hand. _"For the time being, I can't rely on brute strength. I'll have to be a bit more tactical_ _in my approach," _he thought as he rolled to a stop behind a felled tree, a log thrown heavily through the space he'd once occupied before he vaulted from cover and once more stormed toward the northern quadrant of the lumberyard. Leaping atop the robot that'd thrown the log his way, the Faunus jumped upward before swinging his axe down, letting gravity do the work _for _him.

The Faunus riding the robot as it was felled, his eyes snapped to and fro before locking onto his quarry: DWN-016: Wood Man.

"You know, I'm sure there _was _an advantage to building a fat robot made of wood, but for the _life _of me… I just don't see it," Jack hummed as he appraised the Robot Master before him, its crimson-colored optics regarding him emotionlessly. "But I'm curious… Can you feel fear?"

"Scanning… Processing…" _***Bzz-bzzt* **_"Results inconclusive."

"Let's fix that, shall we?" Jack asked as he wrenched his shotgun/axe free, the Robot Master's red-lit eyes widening in what was presumably fear.

That or it was programmed to think it _was _a tree and have an instinctual fear of wood-cutting implements.

**Cue Mega Man 2 OST - Wood Man Stage [New Remix]**

Wood Man deploying his Orbitars, aka "Leaf Shield", around him, Jack noted the metallic glint to the leaf-like weapons; Ceratanium as the blueprints Penny provided revealed.

Deciding to give the innocuous-looking shields their day in court, Jack snapped up his shotgun and fired, one of the Leaf Shields intercepting the shot, the heavy 12-gauge slug bouncing off after flattening as-ineffectually as a BB, the Leaf Shield hardly wavering in its orbit around Wood Man's front flank.

"Huh, guess that Leaf Shield's the real _deal, _huh?" Jack hummed aloud, Wood Man sweeping out his arm and sending the Leaf Shield flying at him in a ring a moment later. The Faunus combat rolling to the side and firing another shot, the 12-gauge slug struck Wood Man's armored chest, wooden splinters scattering revealing another pit of his metal interior. The sound of metal cutting through air sounding from his rear, the Faunus backflipped _through _the ring on its return trip, Wood Man's stance completely neutral since his inner shell hadn't been breached. "Damn, wish I had some _Fire _Dust, otherwise I could've made a lovely _bonfire _outta your ass!"

The reprogrammed Robot Master seeming to take offense to that, his Leaf Shield whirled around himself once more before flinging the blades _upward_. The Leaf Shield fragments zipping back and forth as they fell like falling leaves, Jack leapt to the side of where the leaves were going to fall, only for Wood Man to rush him and deliver a lariat.

Though the Faunus raised his shotgun/axe to block, the Robot Master's pneumatically-driven strength was enough to send him flying backward, the sharpened edges of Wood Man's Leaf Shield biting into his Aura and skin, the Faunus clicking his tongue in annoyance as he fired round after round into Wood Man's chest where the power core would be, splinters flying with each jarring hit as Wood Man was staggered until a patch of metal was exposed underneath.

"Ah, _there _you are…!" Jack smirked as he loaded his shotgun before firing again, the loud _***CLANG!* **_of metal on metal sounding as Wood Man's metal shell was struck, the rogue Robot Master registering the hit to its exposed body as it redoubled its assault on Jack, sending Leaf Shields up _and _forward, the Faunus using the open space around him to dodge those and the follow-up melee attacks with ease.

Seeing that the Leaf Shields lingered on the ground for a scant few moments before returning to Wood Man, Jack grabbed a nearby log before giving it a mighty heave, embedding a couple of them into the ground under their weight and stopping the recall.

Wood Man seeming to register this, redoubled his efforts only to no avail as Jack continued to aim for center mass. Even if he wasn't actually _breaching _it, having its interior rattled by 12-gauge slug gunfire was bound to do damage in its own way; as was evident by Wood Man's movements becoming rudimentary and sluggish. This was hardly helped by the fact that Jack had begun to pin the Leaf Shield bits under heavy pieces of timber, lessening the Robot Master's defenses with each volley.

"Ha! Looks like this is the _end_!"

Only it wasn't.

"Power. Gear."

Red energy exploding outward before coiling around Wood Man, the Robot Master suddenly flew at him with explosive force, bodily striking him with a punch like a runaway bus that sent the Faunus pinwheeling through the air, tumbling across the ground before an axe head bit into the dirt and halted his flight.

"The _fuck_?" the Faunus gaped as Wood Man's feet left deep furrows in the earth.

Even more-shocking was when the Robot Master hefted a tree heavier than himself above his head before hurling it into the air. It was an easy matter to dodge it, but when a pair of red-tinged Leaf Shield bits struck the ends and sent the whole thing pinwheeling through the air like a baton, Jack's eyes went wide before he crossed his arms to block.

"Gah!" the Faunus swore as pain raced up his arm. To make matters worse, the Leaf Shield bits that had once been pinned under felled timber lifted back up into the air, a plethora of wooden logs hovering around Wood Man as though by psychokinesis numbering six. "Fucking fake psychics."

Wood Man's enormous wooden spears raining down at the Faunus from above as though fired from a nail gun, Jack backpedaled around each and every attack, twirling his axe in his hands and gaining momentum as he spun until- "TIMBERRRR!" -his axe blade bit into the last one, wood splinters flying out in all directions as the log was split in a single, crude hit.

"Ahhh…" Jack sighed contentedly. "Nothin' quite like the sweat of your brow, eh, robot?" he said wiping his arm across his brow as the final wooden spear in the volley pinwheeled out of control.

In response, Wood Man let the flailing half-baton fall before levitating up the remaining five.

"Oh… Right," Jack wilted. "SHIT!" he swore as he leapt back from one coming straight down, leaping over one sweeping low, kicking into the air above two trying to scissor him in, only to get struck by an overhead swing pinning him to the ground between a log and a not-so-hard place. "Agh…! _Fuck_…!" the Faunus swore as the other four levitating logs rose up into the air, poised to come down on him like pegs.

Wood Man throwing both arms down, a loud _***THOOM!* **_sounded through the camp as an enormous cloud of dirt and vegetation was kicked up by the falling logs.

The next moment, the heavy blade of a shotgun/axe bit deeply into Wood Man's chest from out of the dust cloud, causing Wood Man to stagger. A moment after _that_, Jack burst out of the ground a couple meters away, covered in dirt but otherwise unharmed.

"Whew. Almost bit the _dust _there for a second," the Faunus chuckled as Wood Man recovered his bearings, wrenching the weapon lodged in its chest and discarding it before raising the Orbitar-assisted logs once more above the Faunus' head. "Nnnn_ope_," the Faunus chirped as he ducked back down into his hole moments before the log came down atop his head.

The Faunus popping up another couple meters away, gave the Robot Master the raspberries, directly antagonizing it eliciting another log-borne attack. The Faunus bursting from the ground another three times in different locations after unsuccessful attacks, with ample heckling and taunting that quadrant of the lumberyard turned into an over-grown game of whack-a-mole.

After a couple minutes of this, Wood Man raised up all five Orbitar-assisted logs and brought them down on the burrows simultaneously, another cloud of dirt kicked up.

Optics scanning the area around itself, by the time Wood Man's tactile sensors recognized the ground shifting at its feet, a pair of clawed hands had already grabbed onto its legs before it was hauled down into a hollow in the earth, dragged down until only its torso up to the armpits remained above-ground.

The Robot Master planting its palms on the ground in an attempt to push itself free, all it succeeded in doing with its augmented power was getting its arms buried as well, ineffectually flailing its head as it protruded from the ground like a stump.

"You _know_… I think this is the first time a tree's fought _back _like this," Jack hummed as he dug himself up from the ground once again, taking up his axe in his hands and patting the butt on his palm. "Well, when you're in a lumber yard, do as the _lumber jacks _do," the Faunus said with a manic grin as he drew his arms back, the bit of his axe glinting ominously before he brought it down at Wood Man's fat neck.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Greetings, fellow robot!" Penny greeted enthusiastically, the labor robots behind her messily felled by pinpoint laser fire.

Tomahawk Man, built purposely for the first-annual Robot Tournament, regarded her with a flat stare, optics of red meeting those of neon green.

"Please surrender, for I have no wish to expire your warranty," Penny stated chipperly.

Tomahawk Man's response was to hurl his signature weapon through the air, silver metal glinting in the morning light as it arced through the air before returning to the combat android's hand.

"Very well then. Your response to my request has been received," Penny said with a narrowing of her eyes as one of her Floating Array made its way into her hand, transforming into a laser pistol which she held in both hands.

**Cue Mega Man 6 OST – Tomahawk Man Stage (Remix)**

Spreading her feet and opening fire, Tomahawk Man dove left to avoid Penny's volley before whipping his headdress around. Bladed feathers flying her way, Penny dodged in kind, the two running parallel and firing across the field at one another. Gun/Blade and Tomahawk whipping up in the space between them, lasers and bladed feathers were deflected away, the space before and behind them pock-marked by the deflected shots.

Tomahawk Man stopping and digging in his heel, suddenly lunged Penny's way, tomahawk poised to split her head in half like a ripe melon before the robot girl whipped out two blades. Those two blades crossed above her head, the ground beneath Penny's feet cratered as she caught the blade, sparks dancing between them before the robot girl hurled Tomahawk Man away, his headdress whipping mid-flip sending another volley of feather blades at her, the robot girl leaping right as they stabbed into the ground.

The tomahawk attached to his arm detaching once more, Tomahawk Man threw it out in an arc, poised to split Penny in two. Tiny backpack opening down the middle, two of her blades shot out, the near-invisible wires attached hauling her back moments before Tomahawk Man's blade could split her in half. Ginger-haired girl soaring through the air, the moment her feet touched down she took a knee, arms held forward as the rest of her Floating Array came forward, whirling in a barrel-like shape.

A luminous emerald orb gathering before them as they all transformed into laser blades, the robot girl drew her arms back before thrusting two fists forward, the swirling of blades ceasing as a massive emerald beam shot out. Trenches dug in the earth as a cluster of energy blasts shot out, hills and trees and fallen robots alike were split in half, edges glowing molten yellow as a burning acrid smell filled the air.

Before the death lasers could reach Tomahawk Man however-

"Double. Gear."

Whirling coronas of red and blue energy spiraling around his frame, much to Penny's shock, Tomahawk Man proceeded to _swat away _the cutting energy beams screaming towards him, the forest in the distance behind him exploding in brilliant mushroom-shaped plumes.

"What…?" Penny gawped with wide eyes, the ground beneath Tomahawk Man exploding as the Robot Master shot at her with the speed of a Formula One racer, trails of red and blue energy whipping through the air behind him.

A glint of silver catching Penny's eye as Tomahawk Man raised his weapon overhead mere feet from her, Penny threw herself to the side moments before the blade came down, the bottom of her shoe getting shaved away as a massive fissure was carved into the earth where she'd once stood.

Scrambling to her feet as-quickly as she was able, Penny drew two Gun/Blades as Tomahawk Man swung his headdress at her once again. This time however, before she could raise them up to block, the robot girl had already been struck by impossibly-fast blades, a plethora of cuts biting into cloth and artificial skin as she tumbled backwards, her exposed metal epidermis glinting under the sun overhead.

"No way…" Penny gasped, arcs of electricity leaping from the cuts across her body. "He's… He's so _strong_…" she panted as she scrambled back, Tomahawk Man's undamaged frame looking more and more imposing before the ruined lumberyard left in his wake.

Tomahawk raised up once more like an executioner's axe, artificial muscle inside Penny's frame protested as she scrambled away once again, a blade of dust kicked up as another fissure was formed.

Whipping up a laser pistol, Penny was only able to get three shots off before her weapon was swatted from her hand, each blast of energy batted aside effortlessly by Tomahawk Man's Ceratanium-coated blade.

Try as she might to call out for help as two more Gun/Blades were lost to her, her voice box seized up at every turn, a pitiful squeak passing her lips with each try.

As her life flashed before her eyes, words she'd never head before but instinctually _knew _sounded in her ears.

**With this installed, any robot can instantly become a hero!**

"He…ro…?" Penny muttered confusedly, feeling something welling up in her chest, some unknown compulsion telling her to rise to her feet once more.

Tomahawk Man turning to her one more time, tomahawk poised to take her head clean off, before Jack and Arthur -_having dealt with their own Robot Masters_\- could intervene, Penny's head rose up to match Tomahawk Man's blood-red optics, two words passing her lips.

"Double… Gear…!"

**Cue Mega Man 11 OST – Main Title**

Raw power suddenly exploding off of Penny's body, Tomahawk Man thrown back, as vibrant streams of red and blue energy coalesced around her, her backpack suddenly split down the middle and unfurled into a winged flight pack, a number of her floating array affixing themselves to the underside of each wing like a mounted payload, rocket-shaped turbines mounted on the end of each wing and just above the small of her back.

Aforementioned rockets spooling quickly, Penny was off like a gunshot, the sound barrier briefly broken as the two machines collided with a deafening _***BOOOM!***_, dirt and wood chips scattered in all directions as tomahawk and gun/blade clashed. The two robots struggling for dominance as the ground cratered beneath them and stumps were wrenched from the ground, their two similar auxiliary systems overclocking them to new heights of mechanical power, sparks danced off not only their weapons, but the colliding energy fields as well, optics of baleful crimson and emotional green locked.

"I won't… let you hurt… ANYONE ELSE!" Penny roared out as her optics suddenly changed color, red for the right and blue for the left, her pupils becoming gear-shaped.

Wing-mounted gun/blades angling themselves at an exposed torso, Tomahawk Man threw himself backwards as a number of energy beams criss-crossed the space his torso once occupied, the beams continuing on and felling the trees in the far-off distance, the scent of burning wood filling the air.

"The tides have turned, Tomahawk Man!" Penny said striking a dynamic pose before she leapt into the air. Rocket-shaped turbines spinning around, Penny shot down in a flying rocket-powered kick, right foot extended and left leg drawn up as she cried- "DYNAMIC ENTRY!"

Tomahawk Man leaping back as the ground before him exploded in a vibrant green mushroom cloud, the next moment he received a taste of his own medicine as Penny's Floating Array shot out of the cloud with machinegun-like speeds, their pointed ends stabbing into Tomahawk Man's frame before he was reeled in like a fish. A split-second later, the ginger gynoid stepped out of the cloud and extended her right arm, the Robot Master's neck caught in the crook of her elbow as she hit him with a flying lariat, the Robot Master pinwheeling through the air heels over head, charred ground churned up in Tomahawk Man's passing.

Tomahawk biting into the ground, the Robot Master righted itself a moment later. Head drawn back to whip his headdress forward, Penny held out one hand as the pommels of her Floating Array linked together. The pinwheel blade whirring like a buzz saw, feather-shaped blades were carved into harmless shavings as they shot at her, baleful optics going wide as the last of his feather blades were exhausted, headdress now bare.

Teeth gritting as its true competitive nature came to the surface, its arm drawn back, Tomahawk Man threw his signature weapon forward with explosive force. The hydraulics in its arm bursting as the Silver Tomahawk let out a deafening squeal through the air, Penny's name was called out as the weapon hit, an enormous plume of dust cutting across the ground, forest leaves whipping in a maddeningly-loud cacophony of sound that sent birds for miles in all directions scattering.

The corner of the Robot Master's lips quirking into a smirk, Tomahawk Man turned too the two Faunus on the overlooking hill before it double-took. A flash of orange appearing amidst the dust cloud in the distance, baleful optics went wide as it spied two foot-dug furrows bit into the ground, connecting the spot Penny had stood to where she was _now_, Silver Tomahawk held in hand and a pair of longer trenches arranged in a **V **cut into the ground behind her.

"No… Way…"

A stoic look on the robot girl's face, Penny regarded him for a moment before blurting out- "CHEW ON _THIS_!" -, returning the Robot Master's Silver Tomahawk with her Double Gear-enhanced strength, the bladed weapon biting into the Robot Master's power core before it could dodge, its optics glancing down to the axe before looking back up at her optics flickering before they went blank, Tomahawk Man falling to the ground like a felled tree moments later.

**OST END**

"Hey guys… I won…!" Penny said with a strained smile on her face, whirls of red and blue energy spiraling around Penny before she fell to her knees, Arthur calling out as he and Jack ran down the hill towards her.

By the time they got to her side, the ground around her was already getting baked, the smell of burning foliage filling the air around her as Penny panted raggedly, her skin gaining a reddish tint as steam spilled out of her lips, her orange hair actually _glowing_.

"Quick! Get her up!" Arthur cried, the two Faunus lunging to help her to her feet.

"Ah! _Fuck_! That's _hot_!" Jack winced as he drew his hand away.

"Don't touch her with your bare _hands _you idiot, she's _overheating_!" Arthur cried as he shed his coat before swaddling the gynoid like an infant.

A pained hiss leaving his lips as he lifted the overheating robot girl from the ground, the Faunus' eyes darted across the yard before spotting his target.

"There!"

Bounding across the lumber yard with precious cargo in tow, Penny's eyes lost focus as her vision faded in and out among numerous **-ERROR- **chevrons. Arthur felt the heat getting to him more than ever, his sweat threatening to utterly _blind _him, but he pushed through the pain as he came upon the prefab building labeled **Showers**.

Kicking in the door, Arthur dove for the nearest booth, quickly stripping Penny out of her clothing. Were there any doubts in his mind about her being a robot, any hypothetical doubts were swiftly dashed as he beheld the gynoid's unclothed form.

Of course, Arthur wasn't _actively _thinking on that, as the moment Penny was unclothed he'd dove for the faucet, turning the cold water to full blast before throwing himself out of the shower house like a man trying to outrun an explosion in the movies. A wall of steam billowing out of the frame behind him as he lunged for the open air, Arthur blinked away the sweat that'd threatened to blind him, bringing up his shirt to wipe his face as the veins in his ears dilated to lower his temperature now that he wasn't carrying what was essentially a teenage girl-shaped _furnace_.

"Sooo…" Jack hummed as he ambled up to the younger Faunus, idly eyeing the plume of steam escaping the shower house before turning his eyes back to Arthur. "Getting another girl naked in the _shower_~ Do I need to be _worried _about such _deviant _behavior~?" he chuckled mirthfully.

"Shut it, Jack. I've had a _really _rough day," Arthur bit out as he wiped a bit of blood onto the back of his hand.

"I kid, I kid," Jack said waving his hands up in surrender.

"Good."

"Sooo… Do the carpets match the _drapes_?"

"J-_Jack_!?"

"What? It was a vaginamate question… I mean a legitimate ques… whatever."

"She isn't a _sex robot_!"

"How do _you _know that?"

"Because she doesn't have anything _down _there! She's smooth like a _doll_!"

"So what, no articulated joints like a mannequin?"

"No, her skin is very lifelike; tan lines and _everything_."

"What, you mean like in the Annihilator franchise, where the Annihilators were covered in living _tissue_?"

"I _guess_…" Arthur shrugged. "I mean, I'd have to run an in-depth analysis to be _sure_, but there was definitely _metal _under those cuts, so I think we can conclusively say she _is in fact_, a robot."

"As though there were any _doubt_," Jack said snorted, rolling his eyes. "So… What do you think _that _was all about?" he asked jabbing a thumb at the shower, copious amounts of steam still billowing out, thought the sheer volume had dropped noticeably now that the water had been left running.

"I'm not sure. Maybe Penny overclocked herself by bypassing a limiter, assuming Tomahawk Man bypassed his own limiter like the Robot Master _I _fought did," he trailed off, "but if it were _just _that, why was there a cascading failure to the point she couldn't turn it _off_?"

"Maybe she pushed her machine body too _far_?"

"Once again, I'd have to open her up to speculate."

"That's what _she _said~"

"Oh grow up," Arthur spat. "Besides, with how-innocent that girl acts, your innuendos are making this conversation _really creepy_."

"Oh come on, you and I _both _know Atlas made her an adorable teenage girl for _that _sort of reason. Unassuming girls get people to let their guard down; as your girlfriend's first encounter with Torchwick proved."

"Well… All that aside, I'm just glad she's alright," Arthur sighed. "Not that I particularly _care _about her or anything!" he cried out with a flushed face as Jack gave him a look. "It'd just really suck if our liaison bit the dust on our first mission with her."

"Yeah… It _would _suck if she'd died today; _especially _if she could pass the Turing Test," Jack admitted.

The sound of wet feet padding on tile sounding behind them, the two looked back to the shower house to see Penny stepping out into the open, her hair sopping wet and water running down her legs, the robot girl clad in only a towel held shut around her budding bosom.

"Penny, you're alright! How are you feeling?" Arthur asked worriedly.

"I am feeling much better, thank you," Penny said with a smile before it fell from her features. "Jack… Arthur… There's something I have to confess to you," she said somberly, her eyes downcast before turning her eyes back up to them. "I'm… not a real _girl_," she said as she opened her towel, presenting herself to them.

"Penny! Cover yourself _up_!" Arthur yelped as he clamped his hands over his eyes.

"Really? Oh _wow_! I am both shocked and _befuddled_ at this _development_!" Jack spoke with mock shock on his face.

" . . . Is this that _sarcasm _thing?" Penny asked him, brows knitted cutely together as she pouted in his direction.

"Why… whatever gave it _away_?" Jack asked after a pause.

"The choice inflection of certain words and facial expressions," Penny answered flatly.

"Penny, could you cover _up _please?" Arthur asked as he stepped forward and closed Penny's towel around her chest.

"Why?" she asked confusedly. "I do not have any genitalia to expose and feel shame over exposing," Penny stated frankly.

"That is _hardly _the _point_!" Arthur yelped, red in the face.

"Oh you are going to be a _treat _to work with~" Jack chuckled uproariously as Penny and Arthur debated whether or not the concept of nudity applied to a robot without actual genitalia.

When Arthur let the word "sexbot" slip and Penny asked what a sexbot even _was_, Jack almost bust a gut laughing.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So… What now?" Jack asked a couple minutes later after stepping out of the shower, Penny dressing Arthur's wounds with mechanical precision.

"It will take some time before the Anti-Robot Master Taskforce arrives to collect the mechanical detritus left in the wake of mortal combat," Penny answered, completely oblivious to the blush on Arthur's face as she tended his wounds. "If anything from the battlefield were to go 'walkabouts' in the interim, I do not think anyone would notice."

"Penny… Are you telling us to start _looting_?" Arthur asked incredulously, tossing the tail of his coat back over the two revolvers he'd borrowed from the corpses.

"No. I am simply saying that 'if anything from the battlefield were to go 'walkabouts' in the interim, I do not think anyone would notice'," Penny repeated, her head tilted cutely.

"Oh… Okay. Just wanted to make sure," Arthur nodded awkwardly.

"A real _treat_~" Jack chuckled as he ruffled the robot girl's orange lochs, the gynoid pouting cutely as she ran her fingers through her hair before turning her attention back to Arthur. "There we go. All better," she nodded with a smile as she pat the last of the gauze down. "Get well soon," she beamed as she pecked the Faunus on the cheek, the boy blushing red up to his ears causing Jack to chuckle once more. "Now then!" she clapped as she hopped onto her feet. "Time to claim the spoils of war!"

The robot girl skipping off and humming a merry tune, Jack and Arthur looked toward one another before following after her.

The robot girl unconsciously leading them into a part of the lumberyard that smelled of charred wood and reeked of ionized laser discharge, the two Faunus watched as she skipped over to Tomahawk Man's battered remains. Holding up her palms and spitting on each of them in turn, a round-toed flat was planted on the Robot Master's chest as she rubbed her palms together, adorable straining grunts leaving the robot girl's lips as she grasped the weapon's handle and pulled back before comically flying away when the axe came free.

Hopping to her feet as though she hadn't tumbled, Penny raised the weapon aloft with a satisfied smile on her face, lines of code running across her vision as her onboard [Weapon Copy System] ran its analytic and predictive algorithms.

**Cue Mega Man 11 OST – You Got a New Weapon!**

**YOU GOT A NEW WEAPON!**

**SILVER TOMAHAWK**

Green circuit-like lines running up the handle from her palm before spreading across the flat of the blade, the same symbol on the hilt of her Floating Array burning itself into the metal, Penny chucked the blade before it returned to her hand, the gynoid girl giggling happily as it went to and fro; no strings attached.

"Sen-_sational_!" Penny whooped, beaming brightly like a kid on Christmas.

_"Oh god there's _two _of them," _Arthur muttered, seeing a rather _Ruby_-like quality to this girl's interaction with weapons.

It wasn't that he didn't think it was _cute_, because it totally _was_… It was just weird seeing that quality in someone _else_.

_"At least she hasn't given it a _name_," _Jack hummed with a shrug.

"Hi ho Silver!"

_"Nevermind," _Jack sighed tiredly as the girl continued to play with a beaming smile on her face..

"Awayyyyy!" Penny cheered again as she let the weapon fly once more.

Were this animated, the Silver Tomahawk would've flown into the lens leading into a scene transition.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Oof. What happened _here_?" Jack asked as he and Penny followed Arthur to the quadrant of the lumberyard _he'd _fought in.

"Is that _blood_!?" Penny gawped openly as they passed by a crimson puddle.

"Oh… uh… yeah. That was me," Arthur replied nervously, the robot girl zipping up to him and cradling his cheeks as she turned his face every which way, eyeing him intensely.

"Have your wounds not all been dressed?" she asked furtively. "Your core temperature appears to be rising," she hummed aloud as tactile sensors in her fingertips detected a rise in the Faunus' body temperature.

"I-I'm fine," Arthur said pulling away. "I healed fast. Jack taught me how."

"Using Aura to actively heal your wounds… That is a very advanced technique requiring precision control over which part of your anatomy your Aura flows. Is that level of Auric Control _taught _at Signal Academy?" she asked.

"N-No… But mine and my cousin's Semblance are similar, so I got some pointers from her once it manifested," Arthur answered. "I'm still working on a Hardlight Emitter I'm comfortable with, though. Velvet's model is a little… _clunky _for my tastes."

"Ooh! Sounds _fascinating_!" Penny said with wide eyes. "Are you hoping to find some military-grade components toward that _purpose_?"

"N-No. What I'm looking for is a little more… analogue," Arthur answered as he picked up one of Metal Man's discarded blades.

Hey, if Penny could loot the battlefield, why shouldn't he?

"Sooo… What? Are you going to make some kind of _disc_ launcher?" Jack asked over his shoulder.

"If I can find enough of these things, _maybe_," Arthur answered as he filled his backpack, taking the time to wrap each one in cloth so they wouldn't slice through the bottom of the bag as he walked. "Ceratanium is _crazy_-strong, doubly-so against other robots, assuming the blades are sharpened well-enough. Hell, half the time they won't even lose their _edge_, but only if that edge is made correctly in the _first _place."

"May _I _be of assistance?" Penny asked stepping over.

"Sure… Why not?" Arthur answered, Penny beaming as she began to help.

"Well, I'll leave you guys to it," Jack said with a shrug as he walked away.

"Where are you going?" Penny asked with a tilt of her head.

"Someone needs to cover up these bodies," Jack said somberly. "Now that there aren't any robots walking around to scare off the birds, someone has to get the tarps out before mother nature decides to hold a _sky _burial."

"Oh…" Arthur hummed. "Yeah. The blades can wait."

"No no, you stay where you are. I've seen _plenty _of dead bodies in my day. I think you can hold off on that for a little while longer," Jack said, a soft smile directed his way before turning into a grin. "Besides… it's _rude _to leave a lady alone in the battlefield."

"I am no mere 'lady'. I am the first artificial person capable of generating her own Aura," Penny pouted cutely, her fists on her hips.

"Sure you are," Jack waved off. "Have _fun _you two. Just don't have _too much _fun~"

"What does Jack mean by that?" Penny asked turning to Arthur, the Faunus' face heating up in a blush, Jack cackling in the background.

_***NEW WORLD***_

It hadn't taken Jack very long to account for all the dead bodies. And not just because of "the usual dead body smell", but because they also smelled of fine wood, gun oil, and gunpowder. It did his heart good to see that they'd all gone down _fighting_, because it meant there were Humans out there with some actual _spine_, and not just the usual cowardly wastes of space he'd come to despise in humanity.

While it was _tempting _to pocket a weapon or two, each Jakobs weapon _owned _by a member of the Jakobs family was usually hand-made, and would more-often than not be buried alongside the owner. In the event they opted for cremation, the weapon would instead be passed down to next-of-kin.

Only reason _he _knew that was because he'd familiarized himself with the Jakobs family history when he and one of the White Fang's negotiators had been sent out to procure armaments.

Through _legal _channels, of course.

What better way to stick it to the Circle of Man than to use _their _money to buy armaments from a corporation that hated _their _way of life the way a carpenter hates woodrot?

By the time he'd laid the tarp over the last of the bodies, the rumbling of tires told him that his time in the field had come to an end.

A trio of APCs coming over the hill, squads of Atlesian soldiers poured out into the lumberyard and secured a perimeter. Weapons were briefly trained on the two Faunus, younger hiding behind the older, but a quick scan with facial recognizing software verified their identities. The vigilant soldiers offering a salute and their sincerest apologies, as the soldiers began to fan out and collect the Robot Master remains, a lone technician with a remote control guided a yellow spider-like robot with a saucer-shaped body a little wider than a manhole cover towards them.

The disc-shaped robot laying its belly on the ground and retracting its legs, the top of its body opened like a camera lens before a hologram emitter spooled up. Manifesting before them at 1:1 scale was a clean well-dressed man not unlike Ozpin with black hair graying at the sides, clad in a white overcoat above a gray undercoat and black sweater, a red necktie at his throat, his suit pants the same color as his overcoat and tucked into silver boots accented in gray. Set on his right hand was a white glove, the left conspicuously absent, a small strip of chromed metal set in his forehead above his right eyebrow.

In short, General James Ironwood of the Atlesian Military.

"Special Agent Polendina," the general greeted.

"Standing by and reporting for duty, _sir_!" she saluted.

"At ease, soldier. From what I've heard, the mission went off without a hitch."

"Yes, sir! No hitches to be had."

**_*Hiccup!*_**

"And you must be the student Ozpin sent," the general said turning his attention to Jack. "I thought you'd be… older."

"Aaand _Human_?" Jack groused with a roll of his eyes.

_"Jack! Don't make this a _race _thing!" _Arthur hissed from behind him.

_"I'm only making it a race thing because _he _did_._"_

"You know I can _hear _you two, right?"

"Well, considering _your _soldiers pointed their guns at us the moment they _saw _us…"

"My apologies for their conduct, then," the general said bowing at the waist. "I tried to get as many racially-neutral soldiers as-possible for the A.R.M.T., but I guess some prejudice still exists."

"Just let your toy soldiers know that the next time they pull that crap on me, they'll wind up looking like _that _guy," Jack huffed as he jabbed a thumb over his shoulder toward Wood Man, the tree-like Robot Master being dug out of the ground, its decapitated head already waiting on the cart.

"I'll… be sure to keep them informed," Ironwood mentioned awkwardly. "Oz never _mentioned _you were a Faunus."

"Was it really so _important _if I was one or not?"

_"Jack, stop antagonizing him!" _Arthur hissed.

"No, I suppose not," Ironwood said ignoring the byplay. "Penny, how bad was it when you got there."

"There… were not any survivors, sir," Penny answered sadly. "Not beyond the one man that managed to escape and call for help at least."

"I see," Ironwood said somberly. "That is most unfortunate."

"Hey, _here's _a crazy idea. How about _next _time you put these things in storage, you don't leave their parts in complete _sets_," Jack said as Metal Man's chopped-up remains were carted off. "Just a _thought_. I certainly know the _Jakobs _company would want worsefor these walking trash heaps. Now, _tell _me again how it is you let these things get stolen?"

"I'm afraid that's on a need-to-know basis."

"Because they've all already been _stolen _you mean?"

" . . . "

"I thought so," Jack shrugged. "Anywho, there's no reason for me to be here anymore, so I'm going to take my leave. Have fun with clean-up duty," he said stepping through the hologram, Arthur and Penny trailing after him.

"Are you sure you should've done that?" Arthur asked, having the delicacy to step _around _it.

"If he didn't even have the decency to show up in person, why should I pay respect to his _hologram_?"

"And you don't think that might backfire?"

"I don't work for Ironwood. I work for _Ozpin_," Jack said curtly. "If Ironwood wants a bunch of yes-men toy soldiers without any spine, more power to him. But, if what he wants are _results_…"

"He'll… put _up _with you?"

"Unless he wants to send more of _his _people here from overseas, he'll _have _to."

"I think you were _very _brave standing up to a General like that," Penny stated as she skipped up alongside them.

"You're still _with _us?"

"Do you not _want _me here?"

"It's not _that_. I'm just wondering why you don't ride home with _them_."

"Is it wrong for me to want to ride home with my combat comrades?"

"No. I suppose not," Jack shrugged as they crested the hill and made their way through the woods.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Now Penny, remember what I said," Jack said a while later as he pulled up alongside a black limousine just outside of Vale.

"After today, the two of us never _met_," Penny replied chipperly with a swing of her arm.

"Ex_actly_," Jack nodded. "I'm not saying you wipe the two of us from your _memory banks _or anything. I'm just saying, the next time we meet with _civilians _nearby, that will be the 'first time' you've met us," he amended.

"What do you mean by 'memory banks'?" Penny asked quizzically. "I am just a regular meat-person like _you_."

_***Hiccup!***_

"Of course you are," Jack chuckled, ruffling the girl's hair before sending her on her way. "So… How was your first mission?"

"It was… _pulse_-pounding," Arthur answered, looking down at his arm before turning back to the older Faunus. "Jack…"

"Hm?"

" . . . Never mind. It's not important," the younger Faunus said turning away.

"Alright. Have it your way," Jack shrugged, the aircar driving to its next destination.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So, how did the mission go?" Ozpin asked once Jack had returned to Beacon.

"Pretty well, all things considered. The lumber got a little roughed up, but what can you do?"

"Indeed. Now, in regards to your correspondent…"

"You mean the fact she was a _robot_?"

"It was kind of _obvious_, wasn't it?" Ozpin hummed aloud, having briefly observed DPN-001 aka "Penny Polendina" after her activation.

Ironwood _desperately _wanted to sell him on the idea that she was the next step in Frontier Reclamation technology, but… he just wasn't seeing it.

If Humans by-and-large couldn't tolerate flesh-and-blood _Faunus_, what made the man think people would be accepting of autonomous _robots_? Especially with how-well that went _last _time such robots had been loosed upon the world.

_Sure_, the argument could be made that Penny had an Aura like any other Human or Faunus, but the counter-argument would _always_ be made that since she was "manufactured" instead of "born", and thus she would become a subject of mistrust.

No matter _how _infectiously-adorable those freckles made her look.

"Yeah. It really was," Jack shrugged. "Maybe tell the egg-heads in Atlas if they're going to make robots that resemble little girls, they increase her 'dynamic movement' a bit to actually _sell _that she is 'a Human'," Jack chided. "Honestly, if that girl had gone out into the city moving all-rigid like that, they'd have gone after her with torches and pitchforks."

"I'll be sure to pass that sentiment along," Ozpin nodded. "Anyhow, Atlesian recovery crews began scouring the site after your battle, and not everything within projections could be recovered. Would you happen to know anything about that?"

"Nope," Jack lied artfully.

"Hmmm… Well, all things considered, I'm willing to put this one to bed," Ozpin hummed. He _did _give Jack the freedom to carry out these little side-missions in whatever manner he saw fit. If the Faunus wanted to pinch a few odds and ends, who was he to stop him? Teach Atlas to keep their shit under better lock-and-key. "Now, in regards to your _payment_-"

"Actually, instead of something as mundane as _money_, I figured you could pay me in 'favors'."

"Favors?"

"Yeah, you know. _Favors_. Pull a couple strings for me that money can't when I need them pulled. Get me something I can't get through conventional channels. You know, _that _sort of thing."

"Hmmm… Well, they _do _print more money every day… I guess we could settle for I.O.U.s," the man shrugged as he took out some stationary, wrote a big **I.O.U. Sincerely, Ozpin Greene**, and slapped his exclusive _Sceau_ _Royal_ on it before passing it along to Jack.

"Pleasure doing business with ya," Jack replied as he walked off.

"You too," Ozpin waved the Faunus off. As soon as the Faunus descended the elevator, the man turned his attention to his monitor, polarizing the windows before accessing a list of the stolen or otherwise unaccounted-for Robot Masters. "Well then… That's three down… _scads _more to go," he sighed tiredly as he looked down the rather _extensive _list of Robot Masters that had been created during the Wily Wars. "I wonder if I'll even be around to see the _bottom _of this can of worms," he lamented, finding small comfort in the fact that at least a _few _of the Robot Masters were either too high-profile or _secure-_enough that any attempt to seize them would be _noticed_.

Whoever had orchestrated these thefts had done so with the intent of no-one noticing the thefts until they'd already occurred, implying the involvement of a large organized group.

People could easily be evil without _her _involvement, but a part of his mind always _wondered_…

_***NEW WORLD***_

**AN:  
While it's true I could've put "Lumber Jacks PART 1" and "Lumber Jacks PART 2" back-to-back, I thought it'd be nice to interpose what Team RWBY was doing in the interim of Jack's forward team preparing for their raid on the Robot Master-controlled Jakobs lumber yard. Also, the choice of venue gave me a good opportunity to mix things up with the fight choreography once again, because what made fight choreography in ****Red vs Blue**** great when Monty Oum was working on them was that the **_**environment **_**was a factor.**

**I took great pleasure in writing out Arthur's fight choreography against Metal Man, and the music cue I put in at the end really got the creative juices flowing. For Jack, I had the opportunity to have a carry-over injury impact his fighting style; what makes him strong is his **_**diversity **_**as a fighter, with much more experience than the rest of the cast has at that point in the Canon. As for Penny… I mainly got the idea of using the Gear System because I picked up ****Mega Man 11**** and the gameplay was really fun, so from a narrative perspective, having the Double Gear System installed in some of the Robot Masters will help level the playing field between "super fighting robots" and "teenagers from Hogwarts with guns".**

**In-game, when you use the Double Gear system, you can't really tun it off until it's run its course, and in the Overheated state you can't really use the Gear System again until you've cooled off fully, and since Penny **_**is **_**a "super fighting robot" in similar vein to Mega Man, having **_**her **_**overheat was a great way of playing with the fact that she **_**is **_**in fact, a robot. Were she a **_**cyborg**_**, use of the Double Gear system would've literally **_**cooked **_**any organic components, which is why you won't see the Gear System or Double Gear System used on human characters since it's too-dangerous for cyborgs; a distinction that needs to be kept very clear since **_**Ironwood **_**is a Cyborg with a 40-45% mechanical body, whereas Penny is a full-on robot (i.e. a Gynoid).**


	26. Rebuilding the Arc PART 1

**Blaze1992: **You never seen any of the tremors movies that's really sad to hear.  
Wonder what he took as "payment"?  
Anyway quick question here but do you think it's possible to create the various handheld Mass effect guns in RWBY verse with gravity/lightning dust mix replacing the Eezo in the guns?

**Re: **Well, since that Review came in, I've had the chance to watch Tremors 1-4 on Netflix, so that's something.**  
**As for Jack's "payment", it's a literal Favor from Ozpin Greene; it can be just about anything, "within reason". That's what the "IOU" officiated by Ozpin means.  
As for the Mass Effect guns, a few have already been shown, but they shoot regular bullets instead of shaving granules off an Ammo Block.

**P.S.  
I'm a smidge disappointed in the turnout for Chapter 25 since I put a **_**lot **_**of work into those fight scenes, but I guess super fighting robots isn't all that exciting, nor was Penny even though she's totes adorable…**

_***NEW WORLD***_

While Teams like RWBBY and DIRT were off carrying out their own missions, Team CRDL choosing to dedicate that Monday to study, Team _JNPR_ had their own problem.

"So you really don't know how to use anything _else_?" Ren asked tiredly.

"No," Jaune sighed. "All I ever knew how to use was the old sword-and-shield combo, and as you're probably aware, I was never very good at it."

"So then you just gotta get a replacement," Nora shrugged.

"Easier said than done," Jaune sighed. "Hunter-grade weapons cost money, and plenty of it. Which means…" he said going over to his steamer trunk, undoing the latch, and lifting the lid.

"Yowza! It's like you've got every copy of X-Ray & Vav ever _made _in here!" Nora awed as she beheld the contents of Jaune's new steamer trunk. Each issue was enclosed in a transparent plastic sleeve.

"Yeah… These were my prized possessions back home," Jaune hummed in nostalgia. "Back in high school, I was somewhat… socially _awkward_. And then when that incident with the librarian happened-"

"The seventy-year-old librarian who broke your-"

"Damaged my phallus, yes," Jaune cut in, red in the face, interrupting Nora's sentence. "And it wasn't just in _highschool _I was awkward in. I was _always _socially awkward, so I've been a card-carrying member of the 'Going Home Club' ever since I was a kid. For that reason, X-Ray and Vav were my only companions for a long time."

"Hence the comics," Ren hummed.

"They aren't mint-condition, I've read them a time or two so 'Near Mint' would be the highball, but I wore gloves whenever I did and kept them out of direct sunlight so I should _still _be able to get a decent sum of money for the Silver Age variety."

"Silver Age?" Pyrrha asked with a tilt of her head.

"Oh, well, comic book publication has been split into four 'ages'. Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Modern," Jaune began in an excited tone born of familiarity. "You see, right after the end of the Great War and for the sixteen years that followed was the Golden Age of comics, which largely dealt with crime, romance, and horror instead of war propaganda. After that from 16 AGW to 30 AGW was the Silver Age, where the idea of the 'superhero' finally came into being; moral pillars and paragons of virtue fighting for the greater goood. From 30 AGW to 45 AGW was the Bronze Age, the 'Dark' age of comics where the medium was dominated by darker, _edgier _subject matter as the Comics Code began to loosen previously-established constraints on what could and couldn't be published. From the end of the Bronze Age up to the present is the _Modern _Age, the one we're currently living in right now. The rules regarding what comic writers can and can't make have been loosened a little more, but now there are three ages of stories to build upon so there really isn't any 'one kind' of story that dominates the Modern Age."

"You really know your stuff," Pyrrha hummed appreciably.

"Yeah, well…" Jaune trailed off with an embarrassed flush as he scratched the back of his head. "I'm a bit of a dork like that."

"Maybe… But there's nothing _wrong _with that."

"So you're going to sell them _all_?" Nora asked, interposing herself in the moment the two teens were sharing.

"Well, to be honest only the Silver Age comics are going to be the big sellers. I won't get much for the Bronze and Modern Age X-Ray & Vav comics…" he trailed off before coughing awkwardly into his hand. "Back to the topic at hand… It's time that I grew up. I can't escape into a comic book fantasy land of a bygone era whenever things don't go my way, can I?"

"No, I suppose not," Pyrrha hummed as she looked longingly at the comics.

"That's a very mature stance to take," Ren hummed aloud.

"What're you gonna do with the ones you _don't _sell?" Nora asked.

"Hold onto them, re-read them. You guys are free to 'em if you want, just try to keep them in decent shape," Jaune pleaded. "But anyway, you three go on without me. Without a weapon I'd just be dead weight, so I wouldn't be much help on any missions.

"You're sure?" Pyrrha asked softly.

"Yeah, don't worry about me. I'll be fine," Jaune waved off. "It'll take me a while to arrange the sale of so many Silver-Age comics, and I also need to find an _appraiser_, so there's no reason you can't go out and have fun."

"Well… Alright, if you _say _so…" Pyrrha said with a nod. "And you'll give us a call if you _need _anything?"

"If anything comes up," Jaune returned. "Now, go on, guys. I'm sure there's a giant monster somewhere that needs slaying."

"I'ma smash 'im with my _hammer_!"

"Ooof _course _you will," Jaune nodded. "Give 'im one for me."

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Sooo… What kind of mission do you want to take on?" Pyrrha asked as Team JNPR sans their leader stood before the Bounty Board.

"Hmmm… Let's start small. It'd be pretty damning if we over-stepped our first mission and got a black spot on our permanent record," Nora hummed thoughtfully.

"You are the _last _person I expected to say those words," Pyrrha stated curtly.

"Thank you!" the ginger said giddily, Pyrrha blinking owlishly at her before turning her attention back to the board.

"How about _Wall Patrol_? _That _seems pretty low-key," Ren hummed. "Decent pay, nearby, ammo reimbursement."

"Sounds as good as _anything_," Pyrrha admitted. "We'll head over after breakfast."

"Banzai!" Nora whooped with a raised fist.

"Banzai," Ren said more languidly.

"Y-Yes! Banzai!" Pyrrha added, a bit of excitement creeping into her tone.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Upon arrival at the clock-in station for Wall Patrol, Team JNPR was directed toward a zig-zagging staircase that brought them up to the lip of the wall. Waiting for them upon arrival was a lean man with sun-tanned skin, sun-bleached hair, and clad in the uniform of Vale's Wall Patrol; a white shirt and matching pants tucked into knee-high brown boots, a beige overcoat with Vale's insignia on the back and the left breast pocket, and a green waist-length mantle thrown over the shoulders to shield from the wind and rain.

"I tell you what, it's nice having some extra hands on the Wall," the Beacon Liaison of Vale's Wall Patrol said greeting them with a smile. "Although… weren't there supposed to be _four _of you?"

"Our leader is currently… indisposed," Pyrrha said nervously.

"Well, his loss I guess," the man shrugged. "Come on. Let me give ya the tour," he hummed walking along. "Right now we're standing atop the eastern quadrant of the Vale Barrier. Average wall height is twenty meters above ground level. Base thickness on average is seventeen meters, while the walkway topside is eight meters across. Composition is military-grade concrete with hardened steel reinforcement. Hydrophobic coating protects the concrete and steel coating from water and weather damage, as well as cutting down maintenance requirements since _no-one _wants to be on that side of the wall longer than they have to," he said jovially with a jabbed thumb. "We don't have a wall in the bay, saltwater would corrode _everything _and make it hard for ships to maneuver, but the shallows stop the _big _Grimm from getting in unnoticed, and if anything _small_ tries we've got enough Auto Turrets along the shoreline that they'll think twice after a warning shot or two."

"Don't people _complain _about Auto Turrets going off at odd hours?" Pyrrha saked curiously.

"Way I see it, they can either complain, or they can be _dead_," the man shrugged dismissively. "Not a hard choice, honestly."

"I see…" Pyrrha hummed. Back in Mistral, she'd lived close-enough to Palutena's Domain that the Grimm were an _extremely _rare issue, so having Auto Turrets going off wasn't something she was overly familiar with.

"And what're _those _things?" Nora asked pointing to the inside of the wall as they passed by a large concrete pylon occupying the open space between the inner wall and the nearest buildings. At increments along the open-spaced perimeter were _similar _pylons, forming a secondary ring.

"Those'd be the Shield Emitters. High-end Atlas tech they reserve for key facilities and kingdom capitals," the man answered. "Mind you, in _Atlas _everyone respects the tech enough not to vandalize it on the regular, but since that isn't the case _here_…" he shrugged.

"But if that's the shield generator, why's it so far away from the wall?" Pyrrha asked.

"The shield wall only goes up if anything big-enough to trample the _real _wall, like a Goliath, or a Leviathan, were to make its way here," the man answered. "Of course, if anything big-enough to force its way through like a High-A or S-Class Grimm were to show up, the Shield Wall's only meant to slow them down long enough for people to evacuate to the airships or the fallout shelters. And of course, if the Shield Wall gets overloaded…" he trailed off.

"It'd be like the difference between a firecracker on an open palm or a closed fist," Ren hummed.

"Exactly. Forcefield tech isn't infallible, so malfunctions are usually quite… costly. And of course, forcefield tech on this scale soaks up a _ton _of power, but between keeping the Grimm out or cooking pizza bagels, I'd think a rolling blackout or two's a fair tradeoff," he said with a shrug. "They're one-way barriers, so you _can _launch ordinance through it from the inside like with the Crusaders' Barrier Field tech, but don't even _think _about trying to _force _your way through. All you'll get for trying if a nervous system on the deep-fry, and take this from a guy who saw it first-hand; bad way to go. Round these parts we call it 'The Disappearing _Cow _Incident'."

"Wait, I thought you said a _person_ walked through it," Pyrrha hummed confusedly.

"I _did_, and he _was_, 'was' being the operative word, on account of how, a couple years back when we were cycling through them for bi-yearly maintenance, one of the newbies to the wall forced their way through to get to the nearest bathroom instead of taking the long way around and they kind of… exploded."

"Hold on, I though you said forcing your way through a forcefield would give you 'a nervous system on the deep-fry'," Nora said confusedly.

"In _ordinary _cases, yes, that's what happens, and you'll be lucky if the shock doesn't _kill _you, though spending the rest of your life as an _eggplant _isn't much better," their guide trailed off. "However, when 'Disappearing _Cow_ Guy' walked through, at the exact moment he was halfway through the low-powered barrier thinking it was _safe_, there was a _power surge _that went straight through his body and… well… Let's just say the area around the Thirteenth Pylon _still_ smells like hamburger, and leave it at that."

"Pft… Ha… Ahahahahahaha!" Nora cackled giddily. "Oh my god…! _Oh_, my god! _Please _tell me someone caught that on camera! I have _got _to see the moment he exploded!"

"Nora!" Pyrrha cried, aghast.

"No no, its okay," their guide soothed. "It was a tragedy _then_, but enough time's passed that now we're _allowed_ to laugh at it."

"I'm not sure a person exploding in a horrific forcefield accident can ever _not _be 'too soon'," Ren huffed.

"Oh don't be such a wet blanket. You'll _never _get the girl at _this _rate," he said jabbing a thumb Nora's way.

"Yeah, Ren, don't be such a wet blanket! You'll _never _get a girl at _that _rate," Nora chided, striking what she thought was a sexy pose.

It wasn't in the _conventional _sense, but you had to give the girl effort for trying.

"Um…" Pyrrha hummed nervously hoping to change tack. "Oh! I assume the rails are some sort of transportation system?" Pyrrha asked pointing out the embedded rails running across the floor at her feet, as well as up and across the wall's exterior.

"Got it in one," the man nodded. "Since some Grimm are able to climb ladders or open doors, we needed to install something they _couldn't _use. Something that requires multiple dexterous _fingers _instead of flesh-rending claws."

"Question," Nora said raising her hand.

"Yes, little lady?"

"What is that _smell_?" the girl retched as she stepped away from the outer wall. "Is that Disappearing _Cow _Guy? Cause if it _is_, that 'hamburger' smell you were talking about h as _turned_."

"Oh no, the Thirteenth Pylon is up on the north end," their guide waved off. "No, what you're smelling _now _would be the 'Noxious Fuel Oil' we use to keep lesser Grimm with enhanced senses of smell at bay. Work on the wall long-enough and you don't even _register _after a while," he elaborated. "It smells different for everyone, but by and large people say it smells like fire and low-cost tear gas."

"Really? 'Cause for _me _it smells like gym shorts and _ginger _snaps," Nora retched, a confusing urge to lick her lips passing through her.

"I'm picking up… gym socks and snickerdoodles," Pyrrha hummed thoughtfully, used to working up a good sweat herself.

"…Tennis shoes and fudge nutters," Ren admitted after a moment.

"Huh… Neat," the man hummed aloud.

"Sooo… What else do you use to deter Grimm?" Pyrrha asked, stepping away from the lip of the wall. Just because she was used to working up a good sweat didn't mean she found it _pleasant_.

When she envisioned what Wall Patrol would be like, she imagined herself as a lone sentinel against unending hordes that stained the ground jet black in all directions. But _here_, and now, it felt more like a leisurely walk in a city park; only with more guns.

Out in _V__acuo _it'd be exactly the same since _everyone _out there carried guns, but since that sounded kinda _racist_, you wouldn't catch her saying that out loud.

"We put on a cheap non-toxic lubricant that not only prevents Grimm from brute-forcing their way in, but also stops arthropodal Grimm like Arachne from simply skittering _over _it," the man answered. "We also have a few Sonic Emitters that are painful for Grimm with enhanced hearing, but since it hurts Faunus too, we don't have those on 24/7."

"Well _that's _thoughtful," Pyrrha hummed with a smile.

"Yeah… At the end of the day, Humans and Faunus working the wall don't feel like wasting our energy fighting one _another _when we have the Grimm at our asses," their guide said as they walked past an inter-species group heading the opposite way, a beautiful aura of comradery surrounding them.

"It's a shame we can't feel that way _inside _the wall."

"Yes, well, what can ya do?" the man shrugged. "And hey, if there ever _is _a breach, then the bad eggs will be the ones to go _first_."

"Well _that's _a little pessimistic," Nora hummed.

"Kid, if you try to save everyone, you'll save _no one_," the man replied plainly. "In the end, if you want to save _one _person, you'll have to forsake another, and if you want to save a _thousand_, sometimes you'll have to leave a few behind. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you won't feel 'let down' by the world drawing its leg back and kicking you in the nuts."

"I'm a _girl_."

"Whose nuts are on the _inside _of her abdomen."

"…Huh. I never _thought _of it like that," Nora hummed thoughtfully after a moment.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Meanwhile, back at JNPR's dormitory…

"Man… _This _takes me back," Jaune sighed contentedly as he photographed each sleeved issue, a couple hours into the arduous process of compiling proof as to the outward condition of each issue.

He'd been taking his time with the photographs arranging them atop the steamer trunk and getting the lighting just right, partly because he didn't want to damage the issues in any fashion, another because he wanted those who came to the online auction to take him _seriously _as a collector. He'd only have one chance to sell off his Silver Age X-Ray & Vav collection, so he wanted to get the most money out of them possible before saying goodbye to his prized comics forever.

He'd been sorely _tempted _to re-read each issue for old time's sake, but the further away they got form "Near Mint" condition, the harder it'd be to get a robust price for them.

Fortunately, his memory of X-Ray & Vav was very good, and there _were _digital scans on the Interweb he could read, but it was the catharsis of real _paper _between fingertips, or just the bragging rights of having original manuscripts framed or in a display case, that would be the selling point for his physical collection.

"It really sucks that I have to say goodbye to such an integral part of my childhood, but like I told the others, it's time I grow up. And it's not like those childhood memories will go away," he sighed to himself contentedly as he took a picture of the last issue in his collection, Issue #105.

" . . . "

"I should really stop talking to myself," he said after an awkward moment.

Placing the comics back in his steamer trunk once he was finished, Jaune then went to his desk and sought out a "Historical Literary Appraiser" with his Scroll to officiate the comics' condition as "Near Mint" before going to auction. Vale, being the capital of the Kingdom, had quite a few who would fit the bill, but many of them would charge exorbitant fees that'd cut into whatever profits he could make, and because he was asking them of officiate _comic books_, they might charge him extra because he was "wasting their time on a media so-juvenile", purely out of _spite_.

To his _surprise _however, instead of having to bite the bullet and pay out the ass for someone to come up to Beacon from Vale, there was an accredited appraiser on Beacon grounds he could call up. He was doubly-surprised by the _identity _of this appraiser and that he actually _knew _him.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Waitwaitwaitwaitwait…" Jaune said trying to get his thoughts together. "_You_… can appraise the condition of comic books? _Officially_?" he asked, still surprised by the fact.

"Yes, that is indeed one of my many talents," Dr. Oobleck stated after responding to Jaune's summons 'post haste'. "When it comes to history, comic books are no different than any _other _form of literature."

"Oh, well, _that's _neat-"

"For example, did you know that since the X-Ray & Vav serialization began 11 years after the Great War, they fall under the category of _'Silver Age' _comics, the age of comic book history where the fantastical concept of 'superhero' were first _defined_, as opposed to the previous _Golden _age dominated by stories of crime, romance, and/or _horror_?" the man asked excitedly.

"Well, um, I had _some _idea but-"

"So, I'm to believe you have some prime _specimens _for me to examine?"

"Yes, I have them right here," Jaune said directing Dr. Oobleck over to the steamer trunk, opening the lid and drawing out one of the comics. Dr. Oobleck in turn withdrew a small folding table, a flashlight, linen gloves, and a cloth face mask.

"Hm, yes, I see, I see," he hummed as he looked over Issue #1; everything from the ink to the font to the edges of the paper and even the position of the staples. "This specimen is in _excellent _condition. If all of your manuscripts are as in-excellent condition as this one, I should have full confidence granting this collection the coveted rank of 'Near Mint'," the man hummed thoughtfully with a nod of his head.

"And… How long do you think it'll take to appraise _all _of them?"

"For as long as necessary. You _cannot _rush perfection!" the man said raising a finger as he applied a loupe to his right spectacle and set to work in earnest.

"Oh, well, alright then… I'll wait here…" Jaune hummed sitting atop his bed and opening a textbook.

At the very least, he could get a headstart on all the homework his teachers gave him on Friday.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhile, back at the southern quadrant of the Vale Barrier, Team JNPR was down on ground level inside the wall, sitting around a food truck parked near one of the rest stations. At the moment they were all having a light lunch, having spent the last few hours patrolling the wall, checking for damages, and responding to a false alarm.

"Sooo… Dave, was it?" Pyrrha groused as she picked at her food. "What's it like working on the wall all day?"

"Well it's good for your _tan _for one," their supervisor said as he reapplied some of it to his face. "You get to be outside in the fresh air which is _also _nice, though if you're near the Industrial District it tends to get a little _rank_, which is why everyone without respiratory problems are on mandatory rotation from that station. Makes you appreciate the time you _aren't _there a lot more."

"Sounds fair…" Pyrrha nodded.

"It's great _cardio _too, though if the weather gets bad, you're still supposed to tough it out."

"Can't they use _security _cameras for those days?" Nora groused.

"Nora, do you know how much open _space _there is to cover? Not to mention what condensation or even _snow _would do to a camera," Ren chided.

"Got it in one, son," Dave nodded. "I'm all-for technological innovation as much as the next guy, but sometimes if you want something done _right_, you gotta put boots on the wall."

"And you aren't afraid of losing your job to a _robot_?" Pyrrha asked.

"Way the Council sees it, it's just cheaper to hire live folk who don't need software upgrades every thirty days," Dave said with a shrug. "Sides, between the maintenance, power cells, spare parts, technicians' salaries, and what not, it's cheaper to reimburse for ammo and hire food trucks."

"Well, given the fortified position you all have, I can see how this line of work would be appealing," Ren hummed looking up at the wall as another group of men traversed its length, guns in hand and an eye to the Frontier beyond.

"Yeah, though it gets awful _boring _after a while," Dave shrugged. "Not that I'm not _envious _of Huntsmen, getting' to go out there, see the world, meet exotic… _scenery_!" he amended since the girls around him were both minors. "But the way I see it, 'boring', is 'better'."

"We still get _work _credit, right?" Nora asked around her food.

"_Nora_!" Ren chided. "But yes, _do _we still get work credit if nothing happens?"

"Oh, for sure," Dave nodded. "Wall duty's low-key, but it's a good way of getting your feet wet and getting over any jitters."

"Any complaints?" Pyrrha asked.

"Mmmm. Well… A couple more water fountains on the wall couldn't hurt," the man shrugged. "Anywho, I think that's enough of a break. Let's get back to the old grind."

"Good! Because if I don't shoot, repair, or screw something in the next five minutes, we're gonna have a _problem_!"

"Nora…"

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhile…

"Sooo… Doc."

"_Doctor_! Oh, wait."

"What's the prognosis?"

"Quite good, actually," Dr. Oobleck hummed as he got to work on a document on his desk. "I'm happy to say that your comic books all warrant the official ranking of 'Near Mint'," he said slapping a stamp onto the corner. "Attach a photo of this to your auction page and a link to my Beacon profile, and there should be no end to the reputable clients who will attempt purchase."

"That's great to hear," Jaune nodded, accepting the certificate with a bow of his head. "This'll be a _huge _help for me."

"I'm just glad you're deciding to help _yourself_. It'll be a long and arduous journey, but I have no doubt you'll be able to repair your damaged reputation. _Eventually_."

"Yeah… Eventually," Jaune sighed. "Anyway, I better get to it. Can't hold my team back forever."

"You most certainly cannot. Good day," Dr. Oobleck said zipping out in a blur, a panicked- "_Whoa_!" -sounding from out in the hall before someone asked-

"What was _that _all about?" Nora gawped.

"Oh, just… getting some prep-work done," Jaune said as his team filed in. "What about you guys? Anything interesting happen on your mission?"

_***FLASHBACK***_

"This little piggy went to _market_! This little piggy stayed _home_! This little piggy had _roast beef_! This little piggy had _none_! This little piggy went wee, wee, wee, all the way _home_!" a certain ginger cackled madly as she swatted Boarbatusk aside with her battle hammer/grenade launcher, skipping giddily outside the wall.

_***FLASHBACK END***_

"In as many words…" Nora shrugged noncommittally.

"Sounds… fun…" Jaune hummed.

"So… You all set?" Ren asked with a tilt of his head.

"Yep. All I've gotta do is put in the details of my comic book collection on the Comic Book Aficionado's website, and then wait for the money to come in," Jaune said with a confident smile.

"Are they really worth that much?" Pyrrha asked.

"They're all 'Near Mint' Silver Age comics, so they'll be worth quite a bit. Doubly-so because it's in a full set," Jaune hummed. "I already have a profile on the site, so half the work's done for me."

"Who will you sell it to?" Pyrrha asked.

"Whoever gives me the best price, I guess," Jaune shrugged. "As long as the money clears, whoever gets my old comics isn't really important," he hummed contentedly, Ren slapping Nora's hand away from the steamer trunk as she reached for the latch.

"I… see…" Pyrrha nodded, her hand going thoughtfully to her chin. "Please excuse me, I have an errand to run," she said stepping out of the room.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Excuse me, Mr. Valentine," Pyrrha said knocking on the door at the end of the hall. "I uh… I have something to discuss with you," she said as her eyes darted furtively to the other end of the hall.

The door creaking open, Pyrrha's eyes were drawn front and center, only to go wide and her jaw to fall at the sight that greeted her, her mind _completely _unprepared for what she bore witness to.

Standing half a head taller than her was a young woman with large breasts and a lithe, alluring hourglass figure. Her hair was colored violet, cut at shoulder height with long strands framing each side of her head forming a tightly-wound spiral. Sitting atop her head were a pair of purple cat-like ears with pink tips, a slim curled tail swishing behind her back. Her lips curled into a cat-like smirk as she yawned displaying elongated canines, golden amber eyes regarded her as she blinked sleepily.

Pyrrha's face then flushed into a shade of red as bright as her hair when roving eyes discovered the carpets _did in fact_, "match the drapes".

"Nyaaaaaawn~" the cat-like girl purred into a yawn, rubbing at her eyes as she looked Pyrrha up and down. "Yes? Do you need something?"

"I… Uh… I, uh…" Pyrrha stammered unintelligibly as she tried to avert her eyes from the naked feline form. "Is… Is Mr. Valentine… present?" she asked awkwardly, wondering if she'd walked in on something of a more… _intimate _nature. "I can come back _later_-"

"Oh, if you're looking for Odd-Eyes, he's down the hall there," the shapely woman said as a delicate finger indicated to the end of the hall around the doorframe, the floor's RA humming a tune to himself as he strode down the hall towards her, a shopping bag held in his hand.

"Ah, Pyrrha, was it? Is something wrong?" Vincent asked with a tilt of his head, the door closing.

"D-D-D-D-Do you know there's a naked _woman _in your room right now?" the red-head stammered.

"Well of _course _the girl in my room's going to be naked. I'm not one of those weirdos who makes their pet wear clothes when they already have a fur _coat _on," he answered with a completely straight face.

_'P-P-P-P-_Pet_?!' _Pyrrha stammered to herself with a blush as she imagined a completely different side to him.

"Hey, Blair, I'm back~" Vincent chirped as he opened the door.

_'Wait, did he say 'fur coat'?'_

"Nyaaaa~"

_'Eh?' _Pyrrha blinked as a purple long-tailed cat with large yellow eyes and pale busy ear tips leapt up at his chest, the odd-eyed teen catching her before cradling the lithe feline in his arms. _'Whu… _What_?' _she gawped confusedly as she poked her head in the door frame and looked around, finding no-one else present.

"So, Pyrrha, did you need something from me?" Vincent asked as he stepped into the room and turned to face her, the feline in his arms rubbing her head against the underside of his chin, purring contentedly.

"I… Um… Uh… Do you… have a _guest _I don't know about?" Pyrrha asked as she peeked into the bathroom, only to see no-one there.

"Nope. Just Blair and I here," Vincent hummed, the cat named 'Blair' looking up at her before sending a cat-like grin her way, the red-head gawping in shock as the cat actually stuck her _tongue _out at her. "Poor thing was out all alone, so I decided to take her in," he continued, blissfully unaware of the byplay going on. "_Smart _too. Like, _really _smart," he hummed as Blair jumped out of his arms and slinked into the bathroom, a padded hindleg kicking the door shut before. A few moments later, the sound of a toilet flushing was heard, the purple-haired cat stepping back into the common room, a square of toilet paper stuck to the underside of her foot despite her best efforts to shake it off. "Certainly saves time and money on a cat box…" he hummed with a spacy look on his face. "Would you like to come in? I have _snacks,_" he offered raising the bag up to eye level, previous topic seemingly forgotten.

"I, um… I wouldn't want to _impose_…" Pyrrha said nervously as her eyes drifted back to the RA, brain still scrambled as she tried processing.

"Please, think nothing of it. Residents imposing themselves on me is half my _job _description," the odd-eyed teen hummed merrily. "Would you like some tea? I have Green, and Earl Gray," he hummed holding up two boxes.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So you're… _sure _she's a cat…?" Pyrrha asked sitting across from the RA a few moments later, a kettle of tea heating up atop the table between them as Blair gorged herself on the contents of a box of sardines, laying across Vincent's lap belly-up.

"Well of _course _I'm sure Blair's a cat. Just _look _at her," he said holding up the long-tailed cat by the armpits, her lithe body dangling cutely as she was held up for all to see. "What _else _would she be?" he asked as the cat licked sardine residue from her cheeks.

"Ummm…" Pyrrha hummed nervously as she and Blair regarded one another. "You know what? Maybe the stress was just making me _see _things…" she replied. _'Yeah, that's _got _to be it,' _she told herself, unconvincingly, as she and Blair stared one another down.

"Oh? What're you _stressed _about?"

"Well… After Jaune got ousted as a fraud, it was a huge _load _off my shoulders since he kind of… told me before everyone else… But now that the secret _is _out, I'm just very worried about where his career will take him now that everybody knows."

"Hm. Yes, that _does _seem like something to be stressed about," Vincent hummed, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Sounds like _you _are a really good person."

"P-Please, you're embarrassing me…" she said holding up her hands.

"Sorry," Vincent replied with a wave. "Still, if Jaune's secret getting out is as-bad as you're making it out to be, then isn't it better the secret got out _now_, instead of later where the damage would be a lot _worse_."

"When you put it _that _way, I guess you're right," Pyrrha admitted. "True, the damage to his reputation is great, but there's nowhere to go from there 'but up'," she said hopefully.

"That's the ticket!" Vincent cheered. "So, what did you need my help with?"

"I uh… I need you to do a favor for me," Pyrrha said nervously.

" . . . Okay."

"O-_Okay_? You're not even going to ask me what the favor _is _first?" Pyrrha asked with wide eyes.

"If whatever this favor is is important-enough you'd entrust it to a complete stranger, it must be for a good reason," Vincent replied as though it were the simplest thing in the world. "And besides… if it turns out I'm being taken _advantage _of…" he said as he ominously stroked Blair's back, the shadows around his eyes intensifying. "I can always do horribly-unspeakable things to you in recompense," he said in a suddenly-cold tone that sent _chills _up her spine. "So!" he said with a clap of his hands as the levity returned. "What do you need my help with?"

**To Be Continued...**


	27. Rebuilding the Arc PART 2

**Greywing44: **Blood destruction!? And this is gonna be a review for this chapter and the one before it. I've recently gotten into No Game No life! Never thought I'd like an anime like that but damn it goes deep! I didjg know how they managed to make calculating look awesome but they did. Does that mean there are other techniques like Blood Destruction out there? And can Blake's senses be honed to where she can tell if someone's lying like the warbeasts?  
As for the second chapter, it was a lot shorter and BLAIR! It's hard to tell if Vince is being oblivious or just doesn't care that she can turn into a woman. Does that mean that Blair is a cat with a semblance that can turn her human? Can animals even USE aura or would it just be a rare occurrence?  
I also imagined Vincent as the godfather at that last scene.

**Re: **I remembered that ability from No Game No Life, and thought that since Jack can already use Aura to replicate certain [Branch of Sin] from Deadman Wonderland (by channeling his Aura into his Blood as a medium), why not throw this in, give Arthur an "ace in the hole" if his life's in danger? Faunus by-and-large are comparable to "demi-humans" in other series like Fire Emblem, Utawarerumono, and so-on where there's a clear divide between "Humans" and "Non-Humans"; in the "Slayerverse", Faunus "stats" are scaled-up and their abilities aren't largely cosmetic outside the whole "night vision" thing that we find in RWBY. In short, in my Headcanon at least, Faunus are "functionally superior" to Humans, but Humans have the raw numbers to make _up _for that difference.**  
**As for whether or not he knows… I could be coy about this and pretend that he _does_, but no, he doesn't know that Blair "the cat" can turn into a woman. _Pyrrha _knows or at least _suspects _it was something other than a stress-induced hallucination, but Blair won't let her off _that _easy~  
And technically Blair's base form IS "just a cat", she just has so-much magical power she can TURN into a sexy lady. And yes, in RWBY Canon, Animals can use Aura; how else did Zwei survive his tag-team "Flaming Golfball Attack" with Dr. Oobleck?  
That _was _the intent of him petting Blair like that, yes. Only error was the coloration of the lap-cat's fur, and that he wasn't an Italian mob boss with a mustache, but that's not overly important in the grand scheme of things.

**RandommDude: **And cat-girl from soul eater appears out of nowhere, could she be the infamous Shrodinger cat?!  
Am glad you were able to keep the chapter interesting despite the lack of action, I usually stop reading a chapter from how bland they can be once it's clear nothing of note will be happening. cue Naruto fillers flashback.  
Though I guess world-building did happen, nice going by the way, it sounded like an actual conversation instead of a guy spilling non-stop facts to the reader.

**Re: **No. Schrodinger's Cat is a thought experiment. There wasn't any _actual _cat put in a box with a radioactive isotope, hence the box could not be opened to cause a Wave Function Collapse. Contextually, Blair's name is an allusion to the movie The Blair Witch Project, a United States found-footage film about three student filmmaker who attempt to locate evidence of the existence of a witch known as "Blair Witch", a famous local legend.  
I'm happy for the compliment. It can't be action ALL the time or the characters in-story and the readers IRL would get burned out. Dialogue and Character Growth are all important so it doesn't become "Battle Porn"; or something. As for "Filler", it only counts as filler if it has "no bearing" on the story overall, which mine tends not to. If I write out a chapter, it'll either help develop the growth of a character, or act as the lead-in for something later on down the road. Like that episode with Amber Creek and the "World of Remnant: Airships" bit, but as more of a narrative than a lecture. In this case, I've been building up to Jaune's secret getting outsted for a long time, because in the _Canon_, the only ones that knew Jaune's secret were Pyrrha and Cardin, and one of them _literally _took that secret to her grave, and since Jaune's character growth is hindered by the preconception that he's on "the same level" as everyone else, the sub-plot about the spiteful sister and the stolen family heirloom let me world-build around Jaune and the Arc Family in a more-satisfying manner.  
And yeah, the way I see it, having JUST a wall around Vale would be boring, and also ineffective. I get very strong Attack on Titan vibes, hence why people can walk on the walls, there are turrets, and a secondary Field Barrier like in RWBY Volume 6.

**Blaze1992: **I have no idea how to comment on this so yeah at least nora had fun.  
There's actually two more movies 5 & 6 and sometime back was a tv show, 5 had Burt traveling to Africa where the graboids are twice as big have razor sharp teeth and their tongues can now detach to chase after prey. Oh and he has to use s**ty guns to kill them cause of custom laws.  
Number 6 has him facing them in the artic where some idiot thought it would be a good idea to weaponize them.

**Re: **It can't be "all action, all the time".  
I've gotten caught up on that, so they might make an appearance in-story if the demand's high-enough. Still not sure if they should be Organic, Grimm, or both.  
Technically, the DARPA guy was only interested in a new Freshwater Source in Canada, not the Graboids. He _wanted _to put a neuro-controller on it to make it a bunker buster, but an RC plane with explosives took care of _that _issue after the gang managed to catch a _live _one, and he only broached the topic because the opportunity _presented _itself. Since they were on Canadian soil, DARPA didn't really have any _legal _right to claim it.

**LoamyCoffee: **All righty, I've caught up on this story and the previous volume. I absolutely love the crossovers that happen and altogether craziness. Characters feel so real to me emotionally... so real sadly that despite Jaune being the whipping boy that I laugh at, and my enjoyment of the Ren and Nora of this world... that you have cemented my feelings towards certain characters. Why? Because while I laugh at Jaune in this while he suffers, I honestly don't like him for his actions and I wouldn't want to have any connection to the sister he took the sword from. You've proven that you can make me so invested that a major emotional response is invoked. As of Vol 7 of canon, I hate our green ninja due to his behavior toward Nora and just because he has valid reasons for it, doesn't mean I have to like it. Which also makes me wish that your Ren was the canon one.  
You've also cemented that Nora, The Pankeki Joō... is undisputedly my favorite member of JNPR.  
Looking forward to what's next.

**Re:** Well, overall I'm quite flattered. I always enjoy hearing how readers are "invested" in my characters, and when the Fanon is preferred over the Canon, that's even better because when I create something _different_, I appreciate when _that _is appreciated. When people rag on me about "deviating from Canon"... Well, with the kind of site _this _is, you'll understand why those sorts of comments have me rubbing the bridge of my nose.  
As for Volume 7... I'm a little iffy on it too, but part of the reason I started writing Giant-Slayer was to take RWBY in a different direction than the Canon; tap into untapped potential.  
Anyway, I'm glad you enjoy my work, and I look forward to getting more well-thought-out Reviews from you in the future.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Yowza! The offers keep pouring in!" Pyrrha heard Nora say as she entered the room, she and Jaune huddled around his Scroll, a counter on the right side of the screen showing a bid counter rising in $100 increments, a folder of images set into the left.

"Well, _yeah_, full collections of Silver Age comics don't come onto the market all that often," Jaune hummed as he kept his eye on the counter. "If I'd held onto them another few years I could've gotten more, but I can't exactly be without a _weapon _for 'years'."

"On that we both agree," Ren hummed from his bed, most of the vitriol bled out of his tone.

"Sooo… We were able to get some field experience today. What's the plan for the rest of the week?" Pyrrha asked.

"As soon as the money clears and I ship out the comics, I'm going to get a replacement weapon, and some new _armor_," Jaune answered. "After that, I'm going to train my ass off, and then we'll go on a mission for _real_."

"Sounds like a plan!" Nora whooped. "OH! Maybe you could get a _grenade _launcher. Really pull the look together."

"Aren't grenade launchers _your _thing?"

"You can _never _have 'too many' grenade launchers," Nora said brusquely as though Jaune had said something incredibly and irredeemably stupid.

Which, for _her _pancake-and-syrup-addled mind, it may as _well _have been.

_***NEW WORLD***_

The hours ticking by, as time went on and the winning bid got higher, the spacing between each successive bid began to grow longer and longer. Once the bidding hit the five-figure digits, instead of even increases of $100, the successive bids that followed were irregular in number; likely collectors putting in their final bids before it got too rich for their blood.

Nora was more-excited than even _Jaune _was for all the money that was pouring in, but swiftly got bored of it, forcing Ren to play the role of babysitter, leaving Pyrrha and Jaune to their own devices.

Jaune on the other hand remained deeply contemplative. He'd already boxed up his prized comics, committed to selling them off to invest in his future. He'd caught a lucky break the first time around, though stealing the family heirloom _definitely _didn't do him any favors in the long run, and between the second-hand armor set he'd purchased and the forged documents, his coffers had been dry for a long time. So, while the sudden influx of capital was _tempting _to be abused for more… _interpersonal _purchases _*cough* _Weiss _*cough*_, he had to harden his resolve and do the right thing for a change.

In a way, it felt kind of good. Like he were making real _progress _instead of just… spinning his wheels.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Pyrrha offered, the sun setting in the distance.

"Just… making a decision about something."

"Oh? Care to share?"

"Yeah… Once I get my new armor and weapon… I think I'll hold off on getting the family crest embossed."

"Really? Why?"

"I… I just don't feel like I've… earned the _right_, you know? I stole the family heirloom, got into Beacon on forged documents… The rest of my family worked super-hard to get where they got, or to get as good at what they're good at as they are, so even if they don't say so to my face, I'm pretty sure I embarrassed the family a great deal once word got back home…" Jaune said morosely. "God knows _Nickie _was happy to hang out my dirty laundry."

"Well, you _did _steal the kickass sword meant for _her_…" Nora hummed thoughtfully. "Not that she didn't have a kickass weapon _already_. Did you _see _those attack drones? Your sister really knows how to make a girl nice and mois-"

"Nora! TMI!" Jaune yelped.

"Tch. _Prude_," the ginger pouted.

"Well… I'm glad you're bettering yourself," Pyrrha said to Jaune around the rather _awkward _tangent they'd just taken.

"Yeah…" Jaune sighed as he turned back to his screen. "All that's really left for me to do… is wait for the end of the deadline."

"Sometimes that's what the best things in life require," Pyrrha hummed as she pat him on the shoulder before getting up.

"Where are you going?"

"To the library. I'm going to work on an… _extracurricular _project," the red-head answered after a pause.

"Oh, well, alright then," Jaune nodded. "If you need me, I'll be… right here."

_***NEW WORLD***_

The sun setting well below the horizon, the dinner rush come and gone, Pyrrha returned to her place in the Great Library, a myriad of cooking books propped up before her, her Scroll off too the side, which she tapped on in odd increments.

"Hmmm…" Pyrrha hummed as she studied another Italian recipe, glancing down at her Scroll before turning back to her work.

"What you readin'?" a catty voice asked.

"Just a cookbook or two. Can't eat out _all _the time. Italian was always my favorite, though I'm not sure where to go after that."

"Well, if you ever want to learn _Asian_, Odd-Eyes has a knack for that."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind…" she hummed half-attentively. _'Wait, _'Odd-Eyes'_?' _Pyrrha gawped, flattening the book on the table to see a familiar purple-haired cat sitting across from her on the table, tail swishing lazily behind her.

"Hello…? Is anyone there?" she asked glancing from side to side.

"I'm right _here_, doofus."

Pyrrha double-taking to the feline in front of her, the feline actually _winked _at her, a light cackle leaving her feline muzzle.

"And the last horse _finally _crosses the finish line~"

"Wha…? Bu…? How…?"

"The 'how' of it isn't really important," Blair said with a wave of her paw. "As for the _'why'_…" she trailed off with a catty smirk. "They will _never _believe you~"

That infuriatingly-cryptic message delivered, Blair hopped off the table and ambled toward the door, Pyrrha left gawping like a fish out of water before hastily digging her nose back into her book.

"It _has _to be stress-related. It just _has _to. Cats don't talk!"

"_SHHHHH!" _a nearby librarian shushed.

"Sorr- _I mean. Sorry,_" the red-head squeaked back.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Pyrrha, you're back," Jaune hummed from his bed as Pyrrha came back into the room. "Are you alright? You look a little rattled."

"I… um… Never mind. It's nothing," Pyrrha said waving the 'talking animal nonsense' off. "I see the others are asleep," she said noticing the dimmed lights and the two conked-out teens; Ren ever the picture of silent dignity, while Nora was snoring like gravel in a lawn mower with her tummy exposed.

"Yeah. They clocked out a bit ago," Jaune hummed, eyes still on his screen. "Auction's almost over."

"Oh? How's it going?" Pyrrha asked, stepping out of sight to change.

"Very well, actually. Seems there's a bit of a bidding war between a… **Gonna'Collect'Em'All **and a **Big_Red_183**," Jaune answered. "They're both largely anonymous, but the money's still clearing."

"Oh. That's good to hear," Pyrrha said stepping out in her own jammies, walking across to the bathroom and brushing her teeth. "Shooo… Hoo du yu shink wull win?" she asked around her toothbrush.

"Don't know. It could go either way. I think right now they're trying to feel one another out," Jaune said looking at the money counter, the winning bid in **Big_Red_183**'s favor being a little over $70K. "You know, I've seen old stuff sell for this kind of green on TV, but to have _my _stuff selling for this much… It's a real shock, I tell you what."

"What're you going to do with the leftovers?" Pyrrha asked, tucking herself in.

"Put it in savings. A nest egg for a rainy day," Jaune answered. "Although… I heard Jack invested some money into a night club and is still getting returns on it, so should I ask for _his _advice?"

"He actually broached _me _for the same thing," Pyrrha hummed, Jaune's eyes widening a bit. "A dance club over at the edge of the Industrial District."

"Really? A _night _club, huh…? Yeah, maybe I could swing a little money that way…" Jaune contemplated. "Although… I have two left feet…" he lamented.

"Oh, well, maybe _I _could teach you."

"Really?" Jaune squealed giddily.

"Really, really," Pyrrha returned.

_"Get a _room _you two…" _Nora groaned.

_"Sorry," _the two of them returned.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Threee… Twooo… One… Zero," Jaune hummed a little while later, his eyes drooping drowsily.

"Hey _*yawn* _Jaune…? Why'd you set the deadline so late…?" Pyrrha asked blinking sleepily at the wall clock on the opposite wall.

"Had to… give people in… other time zones… a fair shot…" Jaune hummed tiredly. "Oh look… A Beacon PO Box… That'll be easy," he sighed.

"Oh! Sooo… Are you just going to deliver it in-person?" Pyrrha asked awkwardly.

"Nah. Not really allowed. I'm not a licensed mail carrier, so a direct hand-off would be a felony… I think."

After the _last _batch of federal laws he broke, it didn't hurt to be cautious.

"Oh…" Pyrrha yawned awkwardly. "Good."

"Hm?"

"Good _night_! That's… _totally _what I meant to say…" Pyrrha said awkwardly, rolling over to face away from him.

_***NEW WORLD***_

_***FWEEEEEEEEET!***_

"AUUUGH!"

_***Thud!***_

"Rise and _shine_, sleepy bum!" Nora whooped the following morning, a coach's whistle dangling from around her neck.

"Ugh… Do you and Ruby shop at the same _stores _or what?" the blond groaned.

"I like to dabble~" Nora hummed mirthfully with a cat-like grin on her face that raised Pyrrha's hackles. "Anyway, your auction's over, right? Well how 'bout we go shopping after breakfast?"

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Wait, you got HOW much money?!" Nora gawped, pancake crumbs flying everywhere.

_"SHHHH!" _Jaune hissed when the breakfast-goers' eyes were drawn to them. _"Are you _trying _to get me robbed?"_

"_Sorry."_

_"Its fine, just keep the volume down…" _Jaune muttered.

_"So I take it last night's auction went well," _Ren hummed.

_"And _then _some!" _Jaune gawped. _"At the last minute, __**Big_Red_183**__ totally eclipsed the other guy's bet! I am _swimmin' _in moolah!"_

_"Just don't let that money burn a _hole _in your pocket. You wouldn't want to _drop _it," _Pyrrha giggled.

"Booo! Dad joke," Nora heckled, causing Pyrrha to puff out her cheeks.

"I don't need this," she huffed, getting up from her seat.

"Hey, wait! I didn't _mean _anything by it!"

"It isn't _all _on you. I just have an errand to run. _That's _all," Pyrrha pouted, walking away.

"She's been going off on her owna _lot_ lately," Jaune hummed.

"She _does _have a life outside the _team_, you know," Ren said plainly.

"Yeah! Like maybe posing for another _cereal _box!" Nora whooped. "I wonder if she gets free _samples_."

"You could always _ask _her," Ren sighed as he ate his own meal.

_***NEW WORLD***_

_***Knock, knock, knock-knock, knock***_

"Yes?" Vincent asked stepping out of his room, greeted by the sight of a tall red-haired girl in a fedora and trench coat, collar drawn up and brim pulled down.

"You got the stuff?" the mystery woman asked cautiously.

"Pyrrha. Why're you dressed like that?" the odd-eyed teen asked with a confused tilt, Pyrrha's shoulders hitching. "You _can _just come into my room. No need to make it look like some big _conspiracy_."

" . . . Right," Pyrrha nodded with a flush, draping her coat over her shoulder before stepping into the room. "So… Did you get it?"

"Yep, picked it up from the Beacon post office this morning," the RA said gesturing to a set of boxes in the center of the room. "But still, why not buy it all from him _directly_?" he asked, having heard the story when she'd asked him to help her.

"Because if I did, Jaune might feel like it was just a hand-out and refuse to accept my money," Pyrrha answered.

" . . . Okay, that makes sense," he shrugged after a moment.

"Wait, _really_? That's as far as you'll go?"

"I don't see any reason why you'd _lie _to me, soooo… Yeah, pretty much."

"Oh… _Okay _then…" Pyrrha hummed, setting the comic down. "You uh… You mind if I keep the collection here? I'm afraid if I take it back to our dorm…"

"Say no more, you can hide it in the closet," Vincent returned with a smile.

"Wow, that is… _really _helpful."

"Well, what can I say? 'Helpful' is my _job_."

"Thank you. I appreciate it," Pyrrha said with a bow.

"Any time. Now, you wanna read some of your spoils?"

"Of course. I always _did _want to read X-Ray & Vav Issue #1, but I always wanted to use the real thing. There's just something so… _cathartic _to having real paper in your hands instead of a digital scan," she said drawing out the first issue, a pair of cloth gloves in her pocket for just that occasion.

"I get what you're saying," Vincent hummed. "I like the feel of paper between my fingertips too," he hummed with a light novel in hand.

"Thank you again for this," Pyrrha said with a bow. "You're a really nice person too."

"So I'm told," Vincent replied with a smile, a _*Mew~* _from the window drawing his attention. "Oh hey there, Blair. Where've _you _been off to this morning?"

_'Probably giving more unsuspecting kids _aneurysms. _Making them question the laws of nature. Things like that,' _Pyrrha though scowling crossly at the lippy cat, who languished under Vincent's ministrations as he scratched her chin.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Pyrrha reuniting with the rest of her team shortly after they'd returned from breakfast, with a campus map in hand, Jaune led his team to the edge of campus to a massive brick and steel-hewn building.

Sprouting upward from the rear of the complex were a trio of large smokestacks belching up hot air and cinders, the whole place smelling of metal, the sound of hammer on steel echoing from within. Students from the Hunter Course, Border Patrol, and others filed in and out, the place seeing steady business. Above the door on a large circular dark-gray plaque was a symbol spray-painted on with stencil; a nine-toothed gear split into thirds with a circular disk in the middle, a stylized **S **formed from the logo's negative space, the whole thing colored dark orange.

In short, the symbol of the Ironclad Guild, a metalworking guild predating the Great War that had kept with the times and grown into one of the most-influential R&D groups in all of Remnant. Swords, guns, shields, armor, reinforced bunkers, prefab buildings, metal alloys. If it could be made from metal, the Ironclad Guild had a hand in it.

"So you're going _brand_-name?" Nora asked staring up at the impressive building before them, her eyes trailing after a student who walked out the doors with a Rocket Pod/War Hammer combo, and then to another clad in enough armor to outfit an APC.

"That's right," Jaune nodded with a nervous gulp. "If I'm going to live long-enough to graduate, I can't go out there with just _any _suit of armor. I'm going to need to be a walking bunker that busts the bunker-buster that life is going to use to tear me a superfluous new… _you know,_" he trailed off nervously.

"Well, you know what they say. If you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it," Ren hummed.

"I'll make sure to get a quote," Jaune said with raised hands.

"And… the reason you're wearing your armor _now_?" Pyrrha questioned, gesturing to his attire.

"I want them to take me seriously as a potential customer… and _maybe _get some trade-in for my old plate set," Jaune answered bashfully.

"Well, what're you _waiting _for? Get _in _there!" Nora said giving the blond a shove, arms flailing as he stumbled up the stairs and through the double-doors, entering into a large open space with a long counter, each station manned by strong-looking men and women who looked like they could bend steel with their bare hands.

The loud _***BAM* **_drawing everyone's eyes from both sides of the counter towards him, Jaune glanced nervously from side to side looking the part of the fool with his low stance, wide footing, and arms spread out to the sides.

"Oh! Um… Hi there," Jaune said nervously. "I'm uh… just here for some new armor."

After a few seconds, everyone turned their backs on him, returning to what they were doing.

Jaune, letting out a sigh, whirled around to glare at Nora, the ginger girl looking off to the side and whistling innocently. A sigh of _tiredness _leaving his lips a moment later, Jaune looked at the signs above each station, seeing symbols for firearms, melee weapons, armor, and buildings above them. Glad that he wouldn't get in the wrong line by mistake, Jaune got into the shortest line for one of the armor booths, and waited.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Next!" the man behind the counter said a while later.

_"That's you! You're _up_!"_

_"Yeah, I _know _that," _Jaune hissed Nora's way before stepping up, the rest of his team behind him at a respectable distance. "Um… Hi."

"You here for an armor set or what?" the man asked brusquely. Clad in a coverall and looking like he'd just rotated out from the forges in the back, the man's right hand had the Ironclad Guild's symbol tattooed onto it in black, his coal-colored hair buzzed short, tan lines from metalworker's goggles surrounding his eyes, the tips of his Chevron mustache singed. The nametag clipped to his left pocket read **Irons**.

"Y-Yes, that's why I got in this line," Jaune squeaked toward the large muscular man before him.

"Ah. Good. Most first-timers don't even _notice _the signs," Mr. Irons said as his demeanor brightened. "So!" he said clapping his hands and sitting up. "How can the Ironclad Guild help you today?"

"Well, kind of _obvious_, but I need a replacement suit of armor."

"And… are you sure you're _good _for it?" the man questioned with a raised brow. "We don't pump out cheap shit like you'll find on the civilian market. We deal in _real _armor, that can handle _real _damage, and that kind of craftsmanship costs real _money_."

"I sold all my Silver Age X-Ray & Vav comics and came into a good deal of money," Jaune said squaring his shoulders. "Trust me, I'm good for it."

" . . . Well _that's _a new one. Haven't heard _that _story before," Mr. Irons blinked after a moment. "Alright, hand over your Student ID."

Jaune, handing over his Scroll, watched the man put the end into a recessed slot off to the left before going to a computer terminal on his right-hand side. After a few keystrokes, the man blinked a few times before turning to him.

"You… _do _know there's a certain… _reputation _attached to you."

"Yes, I know. I stole the family heirloom, I forged documents, I got into Beacon by the skin of someone else's teeth, and for whatever reason Ozpin let me stay even after I ousted myself in front of all my friends," Jaune sighed tiredly. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"Only if you mind paying Tolerance Fees."

"Tolerance fees?" Pyrrha asked with a quirked brow.

The man behind the counter letting out a breath through his nose, turned to Jaune with a withering gaze.

"Back in the old days, back when royal courts were still a thing, the Ironclad Guild had to sell our work to whatever inbred noble brat came through our doors," Mr. Irons said jerking a finger at the very same doors they'd entered. "They'd go out into the woods on their purebred horses with all their _other _inbred friends, they'd poke the Ursa or Beowolf or whatever to impress their friends, and they'd get killed. Not only did the royals blame _us _for their brats dying, but when Geists got into the dead bodies and made them walk around again, those Revenants and Spartoit were protected by _our _iron, _our _steel. So with all that in mind, you'll understand why _nowadays_, we're rather _wary _of selling our wares to unqualified individuals like yourself."

"Yeah, well, that's why I'm here. To buy a good suit of armor so I live long-enough to grow _out _of being an 'unqualified individual'," Jaune stated through his teeth. "I'm nowhere _near _as good as my friends. I'm the bottom of the ladder; I know it, you know it, all of _them _know it," he said pointing to the patrons in the other lines who were watching the scene that was unfolding. "I sold my most-cherished possessions in the _world _so I could be here today and ask for your help, so _please_, please trust I have no intention of dying and letting the Ironclad Guild's work go to waste. Please…"

" . . . "

A long silence extending between them, Ren drummed his fingers on his arm, Nora stared wide-eyed, and Pyrrha held her breath as Jaune and the man behind the counter stared one another down.

Eventually, the silence is broken.

"You should know, this is a _highly _irregular case," Mr. Irons said going back to his monitor. "For whatever reason, Ozpin's made you one of his little _pet _projects. He does this every few years, you know; he picks out the diamond in the rough, brings them here to Beacon. He pays their tuition and puts artists, scientists, doctors, chefs, all _kinds _through school. One thing they all had in common, they were prodigies or prodigies-in-the-making who would never get above their station without a little help. You… you're no prodigy, but you come from a warrior bloodline extending all the way back to before the Great War, so you'll _understand _me when I say, that if Ozpin sees fit to trust you, I… _we_, will trust you, but only because _he _trusts you," he said gesturing to the other members of the Ironclad Guild around him. "So _you_… You have to live up to Ozpin's expectations. You have to prove that his faith in you won't be misplaced. Do you understand?"

"I do," Jaune nodded strongly. "I'm ready to grow up. No more messing around. No more trying to escape from my past. No more relying on other people to pull my ass out of the fire. I'm ready to make good on the faith Ozpin put in me, but I can't do that with a second-hand suit of armor and no weapon."

" . . . Alright then. We can begin," the man said with a nod. "Of course, you _will _have to get in another line if you want a weapon."

"Well, I was hoping since I wanted a sword and _shield_, I'd be able to get them all at the same time."

" . . . Since you're buying a full armor set, I guess there's a little wiggle room," the man shrugged after a moment. "Your financials cleared, and I have orders from on high, so if you want Ironclad Guild armor and weapons, that's what you're going to get."

"Thank you."

"We'll see if you can tell me that after the bill comes due," Mr. Irons said with a chuckle as he pulled up a hologram screen between them. "Alright, listen up, because this is important. The Ironclad Guild takes two ranking systems into consideration when we screen people for firearms, weapons, and armor. The first is a color-based system that denotes longevity and work history. From top down the rankings are Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Ruby, Emerald, and Sapphire," he explained as seven bars of those colors and words appeared on the screen. "Right now the only Platinum-Ranked Huntsmen in this system are Ozpin up in his tower, and the other Hunter Academy Headmasters scattered across the world. There _are _people out in the Frontier who would _contextually _rank as Platinum, like old hermits on mountaintops who can split small islands in half like tiles, but that's in name-only since they aren't registered in the system," he waved off before getting back to the topic at hand. "The strongest instructors at Beacon are all Gold-Rank, but that's a pretty broad spectrum since this system denotes _longevity_, not strength. The rest of the rankings follow in levels of field experience or how long they've been alive to accumulate knowledge. _Normally_, Hunter Academy students would fall into the Sapphire rank at the absolute _minimum_ because they have previous combat experience, ranging from formal training in school to real-life experience out on the Frontier. _You _on the other hand-"

"Don't even fall into that ranking system. I figured."

"Don't interrupt me. The second ranking system is letter-based and denotes _strength_. Top to bottom the ranks are S, A, B, C, and D. Unlike the previous color-based system which promotes geometrically, the letter-based _strength _oriented system promotes logarithmically. D-Rank have '1x Strength' while the unofficial 'E-Rank' reserved for civilian and non-combatants have '0 Strength'. In order to elevate to C-Rank, you have to be proven to be two times as strong as a D-Rank. To elevate to B-Rank you have to be _four _times as strong as a C, A-Rank have to be eight times as strong as a B, and S-Rank have to be _sixteen _times as strong as an A," he explained as a new graphic appeared on the screen between them.

**S = 16x (A)  
A = 8x (B)  
B = 4x (C)  
C = 2x (D)  
D = 1x**

"A Huntsman of S-Rank strength hasn't been seen in generations, the last one being the 'Warrior King' of Vale who ended the Great War by kowtowing the other Kings into submission. Ozpin _could _be that strong, but since he hasn't taken to the field in ages, no-one knows if he is or even _was _that powerful once upon a time," Mr. Irons hummed. "The previous color-based system and this letter-based system are both used to appraise the skill level of Hunters, but are wholly independent of one another, because while you could be a D-Rank Huntsman in terms of raw _power_, your cumulative _experience_ and technical _skill_ that you have to offer the next generation, could put you on par with a Gold-Ranked Huntsman."

"And why are you telling me this?" Jaune asked, feeling like he were getting a dressing-down.

"So that way you know how the hierarchy works. What the actual rungs of the ladder you have to climb _look _like," the man answered. "Normally, the ranking you have in each system would _dictate _what we would sell you. For example, Gold-Rank Hunters can buy Gold-Rank gear _freely_, but in order to buy Gold-Rank gear as a _Silver-_Rank, you'd need a written letter of endorsement from a non-related Gold-Rank Hunter. The same general rule applies for Silver and Bronze Rank, with such restrictions being lifted for the Ruby, Emerald, and Sapphire ranks, though a certain amount of credibility is still required before purchase. The reason we do this is so that high-powered weapons and armor remain available to whatever persons can best make _use _of them. The Council doesn't have any say in how the Ironclad Guild screents its clients, so if their kids want top-of-the-line gear, they have to _earn _it, or buy elsewhere. In _your _case it's different. Since you don't even meet the requirements to qualify as _Sapphire _Rank and your strength is just _barely _that of a D-Ranker, normally the most you could buy from us would be our second-hand or bargain-bin gear. However, Ozpin pulled some strings and pleaded your case, so I hope you'll understand the _gravity _of the boon you're being given."

_"Boon? Who says words like _'boon' _anymore?" _Nora questioned.

_"Shhh!" _Pyrrha hissed.

"Okay… I'm following you so far…" Jaune hummed. "That being said, I don't have any point of _reference_, so I don't really know what any of this _means _other than 'teachers are Gold-Rank, headmasters are Platinum, end of story'."

"Hmmm… Yes, I suppose a little context _would _be prudent," the man hummed, drumming his fingers. "Alright, you're friends with Jack Braxton, right? Ratel Faunus, getting a reputation for himself around here as a real heavy-hitter."

"_Friend _would be _pushing _it…" Jaune trailed off.

"Well, _that _guy's been doing missions since he was a teenager from what the records say," he said glancing at his screen. "Bounty Hunter, Sweeper, Bishokuya, Mercenary. This kid's been around the block a few times so he's _easily _Silver-Rank in terms of 'experience'. Probably why he mops the _floor _with so many of you whenever you all fight. 'Course, since he hasn't gotten a _formal _education, the Hunter Union only recognizes his ranking as 'Low Silver' until on-record mission history dictates otherwise."

"And on the _other _system?" Jaune asked poignantly.

"Hard to say. When we talk 'power' in that ranking system, what we're _really _talking '_stopping _power', and since this is _school _where the act of murder is highly _frowned upon_… Hard to say to be honest. There's a lot of gaps in Jack's records since full disclosure isn't really _required _for those with a non-formal upbringing," Mr. Irons returned with a shrug. "Since the whole thing's a bit of a spectrum… Mind you, we aren't talking whether or not he can bench a bus, we're talking things like, proficiency with a weapon, proficiency _without _a weapon, competence, general ability, yada yada yada."

"Yeah, I get it. Jack's a prodigy among prodigies."

"Because he _worked_," the man cut in. "Which is what _you're _going to have to do if you don't want Ozpin to be proven wrong."

"I think he gets the point," Ren hummed aloud.

"Right, right, we've got a que and I can't hold the line up all day," the man answered as he went back to his keyboard, pulling up a catalogue. "You say you want a replacement suit of armor and that you've come into some money. What're you in the market for? Thanks to the strings Ozpin pulled, at the most you'll be able to purchase Silver-Rank gear, but Bronze is also good for first-time investors with privileges."

"Well, for starters I'm thinking plate armor. Not _full _plate, but enough to keep me from getting ripped to shreds the next time something with lots of teeth and claws comes at me. I'm also hoping for some _chain _armor underneath as well to cover the gaps," Jaune said as he went through the catalogue, isolating the Silver-Rank gear since _survival _was worth investing in.

"Any particular style?"

"Nothing fancy. Just something functional, not too bulky, and seeing as how I'm going to be out in the _elements_…"

"Corrosion-resistant coating. That'll be easy," the man hummed typing on his keyboard, narrowing the search. "That being said, you'll still have to take _care _of it. That means cleaning it and oiling it. 'Corrosion-resistant' doesn't automatically mean 'zero maintenance'. I can't begin to tell you the number of people who think that's what 'corrosion-resistant' _implies_."

"I'll keep that in mind," Jaune said as he cycled through armor components, selecting which shapes he liked.

"And your _weapon_?"

"Longsword and heater shield, same dimensions as the family heirloom if you have if. I won't nit-pick about the _size_, but if you could get me something close to the same size as what I had before, I'd appreciate it_._ If you can make the shield collapsible _too_, that'd also be good."

"Well, you'll be glad to know that when you registered your weapon, all pertinent measurements were taken, so I'm sure we'll have something you're comfortable with. Would you like the same coloration as you had before? Same emblem?"

"Ye… Um… Actually, no, I'll leave it all blank for now."

"You sure? Most that come in here with money to burn want to _customize_."

"I… I'll have the family crest put on… once I feel like I've earned the _right _to wear it," Jaune said after a pause.

" . . . Very well. Stock coloration it is," the man hummed aloud, typing everything in. "I assume you'll want to trade your old armor in? Any proceeds will be deducted from your final tab."

"Yeah, I'll trade it in. Kinda why I brought it," Jaune said as he began taking his armor components off and passing them across the counter. When the last of it came off, a snicker left Nora's lips, her hands going to her mouth and her eyes squinting with tears before-

"What is _that_?"

"What, my _hoodie_?" Jaune asked defensively, a few more titters from the other patrons rising among the crowd. "I've _always _had this."

Nora for her part _tried _to restrain herself, 'tried' being the operative word, but like so many others who resisted temptation, Nora just _couldn't _keep her mouth shut.

"It's got a cute little BUNNY _RABBIT_!"

"It's Pumpkin Pete! You know, from the _cereal_?" Jaune cried as Nora bust a gut, Pyrrha blushing off to the side.

"Hahahahahaha hwooo! What did you _do_! Send in a box top for a _prize_?"

"Yeah! _Fifty_!"

At the admission, Nora could only continue cackling like a madwoman, Jaune's shoulders slumping as he weathered the worst of it. After several seconds of gut-busting laughter, Nora fell flat on her back, legs kicking up into the air as she continued to laugh until she eventually petered out.

"Ya done yet?"

"HA…! Yeah okay, I'm done."

"Good. Because this whole debacle wasn't _already _soul-crushing enough as it _is_," Jaune sighed. "What now?" he asked turning back to Mr. Irons.

"Well, _first _we have to get your old set of armor appraised. Once we find out what the trade-in value is, then we have to gather together the armor components from our warehouse. Fortunately for you, what you asked for is already on-campus, so once we have everything together, we'll send a message to your Scroll and you can pick your purchase up," he said passing over his Scroll. "The processing fees and down payment have already been taken from your account. Once your armor, sword, and shield have been assembled the rest of the payment will be made."

"Thank you," Jaune bowed. "How long will this take?"

"A few hours, give or take. Now go on, get out of here. You're holding up the line."

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Sooo… What kind of _armor _did you get?" Nora asked as they headed back for the dorm.

"You'll see it when you see it," Jaune sighed, glancing down at his Scroll where an initial quote had been sent. "This'll bite into my money a bit, but it's why I sold my comic book collection. So I'd be able to _afford _brand-name wares."

"Sooo… What do we do in the meantime?" Pyrrha groused.

"Our _homework_, maybe?" Ren suggested. "Don't want to procrastinate all week and have to scramble to finish it at the last _minute_."

" . . . Yeah, I guess that's as good an option as any," Jaune hummed.

**To Be Continued…**


	28. Rebuilding the Arc PART 3

**Blaze1992: **Does he eventually get people back for all this teasing?  
Like putting something extra in Nora's pancakes and Ren's tea.

**Re: **Well, any teasing Jaune receives is technically "warranted", so it isn't ACTUALLY teasing, just "constructive criticism".  
If he _tried _something like that, I imagine it backfiring in spectacular fashion. When his _reputation _improves, maybe, but until then, I don't imagine so outside a **RWBBY Chibi** mini-chap.

**LoamyCoffee: **Ooh wonderful~ I've always wondered if there was a ranking system so villages in need of Huntsmen wouldn't be shafted with the bottom of the barrel. Again, Loving how real the characters are in this. Liking the progress that Jaune and Pyrrha are making. Though, my favorite part of the chapter is Blair~ I'm literally thinking about whether or not Vincent is aware of her true nature and whether he cares or not. That she's trolling people with her talking is hilarious~ Of course, I'm also wondering if she is a magically empowered cat or if she was like Qrow and Raven and Ozpin gave her magic.  
Looking good~

**Re: **The ranking systems are inspired by both One Punch Man and Goblin Slayer. In One Punch Man, at higher ranks, the Heroes are logarithmically stronger than predeceasing ranks, while for Goblin Slayer, the color-based ranking is based on _experience_, hence why Goblin Slayer is Silver Rank, the third-highest rank behind Platinum (the kind of Heroes who would fight the "Demon Lord") and Gold (the "Heroes" who would _help _fight the Demon Lord), despite hunting nothing but Goblins all that time. GS coming back _alive _after all his missions definitely helped. Installing a _ranking _system into the Slayerverse's Fanon is just a way for me to _measure _the abilities of Hunters, Gourmet Hunters, and Criminals so there's something _tangible _to attach to them beyond Power Levels "which are bullshit".  
Yeah, character development is a real joy for me to work out. RWBY never really tapped into it, but it's fun for me to do, and **fairytaildragonslayer** gave me the advice that _dialogue _is important, hence the characters in my stories tend to be flushed-out. Blair from Soul Eater is a favorite character of mine, and it's been a joy to write her in; and yeah, her trolling people _is _hilarious, at least to me. As for what _kind _of magic she has…

**TM11: **It's incredible how easy you make intregrating world building into a dialogue seem. Also, I'm getting Fate Stay Night vibes from that letter ranked system, though the other system also makes me think of Overlord - the anime version - and Goblin Slayer.

**Re: **World-building makes it all better, especially since RWBY was a little _sparse _on that outside the "World of Remnant" episodes. And yeah, Goblin Slayer was a big inspiration for the ranking system denoting Longevity; doubly-so since it's based on color, though I ruled out the bottom 3 rankings of Porcelain (10), Obsidian (9), and Steel (8).

**RandommDude: **I actually was referring to Schrodinger from Hellsing but you're response was interesting, maybe we'll look into it later.  
By the way, that turnaround of Phyrra being Big_Red was as hilarious as it was frustrating. I mean, she's like a Guardian Angel or something. Dude would've literally died if it wasn't because of her, so I guess he was indebted to her from the start but still.  
I was actually hoping for the guy to get a gun, since it's not like he has any more experience with using a sword and shield  
Blair is a troll, nothing new there. You mentioned 'cathartic' enough for me to remember Makishima Shogo, from Phsyco-Pass, which I think I would be an excellent Xover with RWBY. It's basically about a system that monitors the phycological state of the citizens and either deems them 'good' and determines their future prospects and others who are deemed as 'latent criminals' and so have no hope for future employment.  
Order is maintained by field officers who wields a Dominator, which is a weapon able to conduct a Phsyco-Pass in the fly and determine whether their crime coefficient is high enough to warrant death or paralysis.  
So, because this system is meant to create a safe society in which mental health is a must, and Grimm are attracted to negativity, it would be a favorable way of maintaining the inhabitants of Altas safe.

**Re: **Ah, I forgot about that guy. I only ever really watched **TeamFourStar**'s "Hellsing Ultimate Abridged".  
Yeah, a little throwback to Jack's nickname for her, and also her height in meters. And yeah, Pyrrha _is _kinda Jaune's guardian angel, since if she hadn't "caught" him in the Emerald Forest, he would've painted the forest floor, and I quote, "a very disgusting color".  
Like was brought up in dialogue in previous chapters, if Jaune can't even handle a _melee _weapon properly (calling his swordsmanship "passable", or even "swordsmanship", is _ludicrously _stretching the word), he's more-likely to shoot himself in the foot, or somewhere _else "_uncomfortable", than he is his own target. Hell, at the start of the series he could barely hold onto his own damn _shield_, and that thing was strapped to his _arm_. Maybe in a "RWBBY Chibi" episode I could make a joke about that, but in the mainstream, Jaune won't be getting a gun until he can be _trusted _with one.  
As a _crossover _idea that _does _sound interesting, though making people explode like microwave burritos when they step out of line (or rather the _threat _thereof) wouldn't exactly make people feel safe. Sure, there are Hue Modification Drugs like in PSYCHO-PASS: Mandatory Happiness, but that's just another avenue for a company like the SDC to express a complete and total monopoly. Plus, an "oppressive" law system like that is exactly the reason the Great War happened in the Canon, so given the context of RWBY, I'm not so sure the use of a Psycho-Pass would _help _things as much as they would make it a lot _worse_. An interesting _idea _to be sure given "negative emotions" are like catnip for the Grimm, but it isn't something I myself see myself writing.

_***NEW WORLD***_

A few hours later and their assignment from Dr. Stein completed, Jaune eagerly responded to the summons from the Ironclad Guild, hauling ass like someone'd lit it on fire. Maybe it was the excitement of seeing his sacrifice crystalize into something tangible, but Pyrrha was glad to see him genuinely happy for the first time since the self-exposé at the fountain plaza.

Walking confidently into the Ironclad Guild building, Jaune was redirected to the Customer Service section to the far left. Once more Jaune found himself waiting in line, but since he was _receiving _something instead of negotiating, he couldn't help but bob from one foot to the next like he had ants in his pants; much to the consternation of the person in front of him.

Eventually Jaune came to the front of the line, eagerly holding out his student ID.

"Ah, Mr. Arc," a young woman who fit the 'Guild Girl' archetype hummed as she pulled up his order. "Big _spender _I see. Silver-Rank plate armor and riveted chain mail, Bronze-Rank longsword and collapsible shield. Subtracting the trade-in from your used second-hand armor and the bill comes down tooo…27.5 thousand Lien."

"Hey hold on a second. What about my trade-in?"

"Well, the armor you traded in was second-hand, there wasn't a lot _of_ it, and it wasn't even all that well made, so the trade-in value was largely negligible. Like when you trade in a used car, or video game, or _scrap_ metal."

She said the last bit with emphasis.

"Well, it's not like I was ever going to wear it again _anyway_," Jaune sighed as he looked at the receipt. 15K for the Plate Armor Set, 10K for the Chain Mail Shirt, 1K for the Longsword, and 1.5K for the Collapsible Heater Shield; all Huntsman-grade.

"You know, it occurs to me you should've _haggled _more…" Nora hummed looking the slip of paper over.

"All prices are non-negotiable."

"Okay never mind," Nora amended.

"Here you are," the woman said bringing up a large crate, a sheathed longsword protruding from the top.

Jaune, reaching out to take hold of it, drew it back only for the woman across from him to not let go. Giving the box a tug and shooting the woman a look, the blond proceeded to dig his feet into the floor and attempt forcibly dislodging it, only for his feet to slide haplessly across the floor.

"What's the big idea!"

"Normally, it isn't company policy to sell quality wares to fresh meat," the woman returned with a neutral expression. "Team Juniper," she said turning her attention to the rest of them. "If you can promise to bring back the armor in the event of any permanent loss of life, I'll allow this unusual transaction to be completed."

"How can you say something so _cruel_?!" Pyrrha gaped, slamming her palms on the counter.

"Do you know what's _really _cruel? For a member of the Ironclad Guild to pour their blood, sweat, and tears into forging a masterpiece of armor smithing, only to have it rotting in the wilderness somewhere because the idiot wearing it doesn't know when to run away from a fight they can't win. And on _top _of that, high-end military-grade alloys are expensive, so recycling's a big part of the Ironclad Guild's stance on self-sustainability. If you can't agree to bring the armor back if Jaune doesn't need it anymore, I can't in clear conscience allow it to change hands, no matter _what _Ozpin says."

" . . . Dibs."

"Wha-_Nora_! You can't call 'dibs' on my dead body!" Jaune gawped.

"_Sure_ I can. Dibs. See? I just did it again," Nora grinned.

"Yeah, Jaune. _Everyone _knows about the International Dibs Protocol. And the No Takebacks Accord," Ren hummed with a chuckle.

"You _cannot _be serious," Pyrrha deadpanned.

"Do you _want _Jaune to have a nice set of armor or not?" Nora asked.

"Well, _yes_, but I'm not comfortable with pawning off his dead _body _like this."

"I'm not even _dead _yet!" Jaune cried.

"Technically I don't even need the _body_, just the armor," the merchant hummed aloud. "You'd be surprised how many people make that mistake."

"Quiet you," Pyrrha bit at the clerk before turning back to her teammates. " . . . Jaune, we can _get _armor somewhere else."

"No, Pyrrha, it's fine. If I'm going to buy brand-name, I'm willing to accept the caveats that come with hit," Jaune said in surrender. "Besides, she's right. Letting a nice suit of armor go to waste _would _be cruel. Both to the armor and whoever has to fight it later in case my dead body gets possessed by a Geist or something."

" . . . I suppose I can't really stop you," Pyrrha sighed.

"If you want, I can recommend a good armor smith for _you_," the clerk spoke up Pyrrha's way. "Not that what you have isn't a fine set, but that was for a tournament. In the _real _world, you'll want a little more protection for when your Aura runs out. And seeing as how you're a bit of a celebrity yourself, I'm sure if you signed an endorsement deal with upper management, a healthy discount could be sent your way."

"I'll take that into consideration. _After _my friend gets his armor."

The store clerk pulling her hands back, Jaune let out an undignified yelp as he flew back, the armor and sheathed weapon clattering loudly in the box as he hit the floor with a _***THUD* **_and the clattering of jostled metal on metal.

" . . . Ow."

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Come on, guys! Jaune's about to come out in his new armor!" Nora whooped, pounding her fist on Team RWBBY's door as Ren and Pyrrha stood off to the side. From behind Team JNPR's door, the sound of shuffling clothing and armor plating clacking together could be heard.

"God, do you have any idea what _time _it is?" Yang groaned as she stepped out into the hall, clad in PJs and her bedhead flaring up like the hindquarters of a certain type of bird.

"Nora, give it a rest, we had a _really _exhausting day yesterday," Weiss groaned rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Oh _fine_ sleepy bums. I just thought you might've wanted to see Jaune's new _sword _is all," Nora huffed.

"Did someone say 'new _weapon_'?!" Ruby yelped eagerly as she bowled her sister over, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed despite her bed-head.

"And new armor," Ren hummed as the rest of Team RWBBY dragged themselves into the hall. Still clad in their PJs, it was clear that the arduous mission of the previous day's mission had taken its toll on them; a juxtaposition to the rest of JNPR which had hardly exerted themselves in the slightest.

"Sooo… Why're you all sleeping in until noon?" Pyrrha asked awkwardly.

"Because yesterday was a real _shitshow_," Weiss grumbled brusquely, caring little for proper verbal etiquette in her mentally exhausted state.

"Did it have anything to do with that column of _smoke _we saw the other day?" Ren asked.

"In as many words," Blake sighed.

"Oh, I think I heard about that. Some kinda _rat-_kaiju butt-fucked police headquarters and killed half the staff. Or something," Nora hummed bluntly.

"Something like that," Weiss groaned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Really? I thought with Jack around, fighting giant monsters would be _easy_," Pyrrha hummed thoughtfully, since she'd once witnessed him battle such a monster once before.

"Yeah, except Jack totally _flaked _on us," Yang huffed angrily.

"I did not 'flake'. Ozpin pulled me aside for a job he needed done discretely and I did it," Jack huffed in turn.

"Really? I didn't think 'discretely' was part of your _vocabulary_," Ren hummed.

"Bitch, please. If I didn't know 'discrete', I'd be a _war _criminal by now. That or a mass murderer."

" . . . Wait what-"

_"I'm… I'm coming out!" _Jaune said from behind the door, cutting off Pyrrha's awkward comment.

The door creaking open, at the _base_, Jaune's attire was the same jeans and hoodie from before -not that RWBBY knew about the Pumpkin Pete icon-, but that was where the similarities to his previous look ended.

Cladding his shoulders, biceps, forearms, back of the hands, chest, back, waist, hips, knees, shins, and the tops of each foot were well-crafted plates of armor held tightly against his frame by reinforced leather straps. In place of his original sneakers he wore black shin-high boots that let him be taken more-seriously, and the bandages around his knees kept his pants from bunching up. Encasing his head whereas before it lay completely exposed, was a rounded helmet that left only the lower half of his face visible; featuring a traditional knight's visor that dipped down to cover his nose, each eye was shielded by a pair of thin horizontal slats with clear reinforced glass.

Drawing his sheathe from his hip and expanding it into a full-sized heater shield, he then drew an ordinary-looking longsword and held it aloft for all to see. Whereas the Crocea Mors from before was beautiful and elegant with its gold-on-white coloration, what Jaune possessed now was purely utilitarian in nature with its muted gray matte finish. It was made to do a job, and it'd do that job well without having to be pretty to do it. Sure, a _polished _silver was more showy and looked better from a client's perspective, but reflected light that could be seen from a mile away had been the death of many a Huntsman in the past; few were just willing to admit it.

Because they were _dead_, but that was beside the point.

Long story short; Jaune looked _far _more competent than he did before, which some would argue wasn't much better than a LARPer screwing around in the park with bags of rice and streamers screaming- "Lightning Bolt!" -at the tops of their lungs with Styrofoam weapons and cardboard armor.

Jaune, testing the weight of his new shield on his arm, held his new blade aloft, the sharpened edge seeming to hum in the air as it was drawn for the first time.

"Whew~" Yang said with an appreciative whistle. "I'll admit, you cut a pretty impressive figure in all that armor. I approve."

"It probably helps he's wearing more on his legs than _jeans_," Blake hummed.

"Wow, Jaune! You look totally _awesome_!" Ruby whooped.

" . . . It's an improvement," Weiss admitted after a moment.

"But wait, I don't see the family emblem," Ruby hummed as she leaned to and fro, trying to find any form of decoration.

"I'll have it put on when I feel _worthy _of it. For the time being, I don't feel like I've earned the _right_, you know?"

"Yeah, I guess I understand," Ruby hummed. "I'm glad you're making a fresh start."

"Sooo… You rob a _bank_, or sell your left kidney?" Jack asked, half-seriously.

"I sold my old comic books, thankyouverymuch," Jaune huffed, his visor flipped up as he gave the Faunus the best withering look he could.

It didn't work. But at least he _tried_.

"Huh. Neat," Jack hummed. "At the very least, you don't look like a total _bitch _anymore."

"Hey!"

"Seriously, who fights Grimm wearing _jeans_?"

"_You _wear jeans!"

"No, _I _wear _cargo _pants, _and _greaves. Fashionable _and _functional," Jack countered. "At the very least a kick to the shins won't _drop _you. Everyone _thinks _you should aim for the groin, but the shins are easier to hit and have lots of nerve endings sandwiched between the bone and skin," he trailed off on another "Jack Braxton Tangent".

"We're getting off topic," Jaune sighed as he clenched and unclenched his fist, which was now clad in a black leather glove. "So. Ruby. What do you think?" he asked of the first girl he met at Beacon.

"Way cool," Ruby smiled. "You look like a regular 'knight in shining armor'," she hummed with a smile.

"Yeah, well… 'Knight' may be pushing it," Jaune hummed as he rubbed the back of his armored head. "Now that I have my new armor and weapon, there's only one thing left for me to do," he said with a nod. "Jack!" he said extending a finger. "Fight me!"

" . . . Eh?"

"I want you to fight me!"

"Uhhh… _Jaune_. You _do _remember how well that went for you the _last _time you squared off, right?" Nora asked. _"Because FYI; it was a real _shitshow _down there," _she whispered.

"Look, I'm not saying I would've fared any better if I _wasn't _angry when I jumped over the railing," Jaune conceded, remembering when Pyrrha had gotten her own ass handed to her and he'd overreacted. "What I'm _saying _is… I want to fight you, because I want to know what true strength feels like. When that Ironclad Guild guy sung your praises, I just… You and I never _actually _fought. Not formally. So I just… I need to know how far you are above me."

" . . . Alright _first _off… knowing that I'm 'strong' and knowing what 'true _strength_' is, are two completely different things," Jack stated after a moment. "Second: Eh?"

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Jaune, are you sure you want to do this?" Pyrrha asked nervously as they made their way to the training arena, a few students shooting Jaune, his armor, or both appreciative glances as they passed by.

"Yes, Pyrrha. I'm sure."

"Okay, but can I ask _why_?"

"Because… Jack's the strongest out of all of us. He's worked his ass off to get that strong, and despite all the insults he threw my way… I couldn't help but _admire _that about him," he confessed. "Sure, he's like something taken from the Bronze Age of comic books, but that doesn't change the fact he never backed away from a fight, no matter how weary or sleep-deprived or _whatever _he was. That's why… I figure if I'm going to break in my new armor, might as well make it _memorable_, eh?"

"Yeah, unless you push Jack's _'Mom _Button_' _and he shoves that shiny new _helmet _of yours up your equally-new _ass_-plate."

"First off, I have enough common sense not to push 'the _Mom _Button'," Jaune huffed Nora's way.

"Well at least you have _that _much going for you," Ren hummed.

"And second, I don't _have _any armor plating on my ass."

"And like that, the magic is gone," he amended.

"Look, I just want to get an idea of how-well this new armor of mine can take a beating against someone as _strong _as a Grimm, without having to worry about having my _throat _ripped out."

"If you're seeking to collect data on this via the transitive property, I think I'll _redact _my previous comment about you having some common sense," Ren suighed.

"Hey, I have to break this thing in _sometime_, so it might as well be _now_," Jaune shrugged. "And it isn't just _that_. The weight of all this armor and my weapon… I'm wearing _way _more armor than I was before so it's actually a little hard to move, and my weapon… My body's telling me the _weight _is the same, but my _heart_… Everything just feels off, and _new_, and I need to accept that things have changed."

"That's kinda _poetic_, in its own weird way," Nora hummed.

"Well, if you ever want to practice with your new sword and shield, _I'm _always available," Pyrrha hummed.

"Thanks, Pyrrha. I might just take you up on that," Jaune said with a smile before turning toward the arena before them.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Just so you _know_, Jaune…" Jack hummed as he flattened the creases in his clothes and adjusted his leather armor. "I won't pull my punches just because you have some shiny new armor."

"I wouldn't want it any other way," Jaune said drawing his blade, his shield held out at the side.

"I mean, I'll pull my punches to the extent that I don't turn you into a greasy _smear _on the wall, but…"

"Yes, we get it. 'The first couple of rows are a splash zone'. Can we just fight already?" he asked impatiently.

"Well then…" Jack hummed as the scoreboard overhead came to life. "Lesson number _one_."

**Cue RWBY Volume 1 OST – This Will Be The Day**

_***FWISH-BAM!***_

"It helps if you keep your shield _between _yourself and your _opponent_!" he said as he drilled a powerful blow into Jaune's gut, the armored blond sent skidding back.

The blond's new boots arresting his momentum as he dug in his heels, his free hand went to the unarmored part of his gut that had been hit, the feeling of riveted chain mail reassuring to him.

"Ah, so you have mail on under that hoodie. Good choice. Good choice," Jack lauded. "It's nice to see you didn't waste your money on something _stupid_. Like a flashy gun you don't even know how to _use_."

"Just shut up and fight," Jaune bit out as he charged Jack, making a concerted effort to keep his shield between him and his opponent as he charged, thrusting out his sword only for Jack to slap it aside and shoulder charge his shield, the blond buckling before rolling with the hit and getting into a kneeling stance, only for Jack to grasp the sides of his helmet and knee him in the visor.

"WHOA! He got hit in the head and he's still _standing_!" Nora awed as Jaune reeled from the hit.

"Lesson number two," Jack said as he plucked the helmet from Jaune's head. "Chin straps," he said striking him in the face with the back of his own helmet, causing those in the audience to wince. Jaune's helmet tossed back to him, the blond fumbled awkwardly for it between his free hand and sword-holding hand, only for Jack to pound him with another double kick.

And yet, despite it all, Jaune barely felt _any _of it.

Sure, Jack wasn't going _full_ force, but the blond felt _much _more confident in his new armor than he had with his old set as he got to his feet.

"You know… I'd feel better about this field test if you weren't so condescending," Jaune muttered as he donned his helmet, making a mental note to have a chin strap installed.

"Look, blondie, all you did was get yourself a better suit of armor and an identical replacement weapon. Nothing's _changed _since your big exposé," Jack huffed. "I'm glad you're taking some initiative, but is this _really _how you want to have your first fight with the new gear?"

"Better you than a Grimm."

"Fair enough," Jack shrugged, drawing his Shotgun/Axe. "Let's see how you handle a little _lead_."

Jaune hastily raising his shield as the barrel was leveled at him, a solid slug struck his shield dead-center with a loud _***CLANG***_, his arm rattling, but the metal and his Aura both holding strong as the flattened slug clattered to the ground at his feet. Jack casually closing the distance and firing off a shot every few seconds, the next moment Jack hooked his axe around his ankle and tripped him up, dropping him onto his back, a sandaled foot planted on his sword-holding arm a moment later, a single clawed finger aimed at the center of his visor.

"Check…"

An ominous red glow at the end of the Faunus' finger made his eyes go wide.

"Mate."

_***PEW***_

The back of Jaune's head bouncing harshly against the inside of his helmet as the energy blast struck him in the center of the visor, the blond's vision swam from the force of the blow, feeling as a chunk of his Aura was blasted away like a gunshot to unprotected meat.

_***DING-DING-DING!***_

"Eh?" Jack asked as a bell was rung.

"End of round one!" Nora shouted, a brass fighter's bell held in one hand and a tiny mallet in the other. "Both fighters return to your starting corners for round two!"

"We're on a giant _circle_. There _aren't _any corners!"

"Just get your foot off of him so he can catch his breath," Pyrrha sighed.

"Fine," Jack shrugged, letting Jaune roll onto his feet.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**Cue Red vs Blue Season 9 OST – Round One**

The rounds that followed weren't much better in Jaune's favor, but the unmistakable fact remained that in the rounds to follow, Jaune _was _getting better.

Some would call Jack's "tough love" style of teaching _harsh_, what with how-many times the blond found himself laid out on his back or _literally _getting his ass kicked, but it got results. As Jaune had what did and more-importantly _didn't _"work" drilled into his head, his confidence as a warrior grew as his knowledgebase was further built upon. The way he carried himself became more confident, his grip on his sword and shield more-assured as he was guided through the bare basics of sword fighting with what were essentially the training wheels on.

Of course, that didn't mean Jaune didn't go through his share of humiliating episodes.

Because he _definitely _did.

"Next lesson: Don't let go of your weapon!" Jack chided as he karate chopped Jaune on the hand, longsword clattering to the floor before a sandaled foot kicked it up into an awaiting scarred hand. "Next lesson after _that_: Don't let your _opponent _get a hold of your weapon!" he said as he proceeded to chase Jaune around the ring and screaming like a deranged lunatic. "Next lesson after 'the _next' _lesson: Don't get _murdered _by your own weapon. AIAIAIAIAIAIAIAIAAAAA!"

Although Jaune's _own _frantic screams did a pretty good job of drowning out Jack's own battle cry.

"Your feet are too close together," Jack berated in another round as he looped a foot around the blond's right achilles tendon and gave him a shove sending him sprawling harshly to the ground. "Keep one behind you, and lower your stance a little."

Though Jaune was definitely improving, it didn't make it any less difficult to _watch _though. Upside was Jaune's armor was taking the beating like a _champ_, and his Aura was definitely getting a workout.

However, like all good things, Jaune's quote/unquote "fight" with Jack had to come to an end; somewhere between the literal ass-kicking that sent Jaune screaming through the air "like a little bitch" as Jack so-eloquently put it, and him being so delirious and potentially concussed he couldn't get back to his feet without outside help.

Right as things with Jaune had wrapped up however, the blond running on fumes while Jack's was well below half from the hits he'd _let _Jaune get in before delivering a wicked counter so Jaune would know what falling for a counter or a feint would _feel _like…

"Braxton!" a somewhat familiar, haughty voice shouted from up in the rafters, drawing everyone's eyes.

Striding boldly down the steps were Jack's former team, plus his own replacement, now named Team DIRT. Their weapons were in hand, armor on, and by the looks in their eyes they were itching for a fight.

The only exception to this, at least the ocular attribute, was Jack's replacement who stood a few steps behind them looking like he'd rather be anywhere else and was only _passively _invested in what was going on.

"So. I see you're kicking around the little blond _bitch_, huh? That's cool, that's cool," the brunette at the front said idly as he eyed Jaune, then the scoreboard, before turning back to Jack. "You wouldn't mind having a rematch with _us_, would you?" he asked gesturing to the rest of his team. "The boys and I have just been _itching _for Round Two."

" . . . _Who _are you guys again?" Jack asked after a moment, causing his old teammates to flinch as though they were slapped across the face with a dead fish.

**To Be Continued…**

_***NEW WORLD***_

**AN:  
The armor set that Jaune gets from the Ironclad Guild is inspired by the DeviantArt artwork **Rwby what if Jaune was a better fighter lineart **by **Razenix-Angel**.  
Of course for narrative reasons, right now the colored flairs and family crest are absent, but will be added in later once Jaune experiences enough character growth. **_**Which**_**! All in all, is really satisfying to write for.**

**The story behind that decision is, I looked up "armored Jaune, RWBY" pictures online, and happened across **Raxenix-Angel**'s** **work and really liked the look of it. Permission to reference this piece has been given, and sometime in the future I'll commission some artwork for the story; I just have to find the right moment. I've added a link in my profile, as well as links to other commissioned works. All in all I'm satisfied with past experiences.**


	29. Kicking Up Dirt

**Blaze1992: **Feel he should've gotten at least one good hit in.

**Re: **Jaune _did _get "at least one good hit in", but Jack used that to teach Jaune what a "counter" could do. Jaune isn't _nearly _skilled-enough to catch Jack "unawares" in a fight because… Well, it's obvious _why _Jaune isn't that-good when compared to Jack fight-wise.  
Unlike most stories which _gloss over _this particular shortcoming of Jaune's, here I'm actually taking the _time _to address it, and have him grow _past _that.

**TM11: **Great chapter. As much as I dislike Jaune, seeing him learning from Jack is fun and cathardic. With RWBY going down the path that it is, works like this is all I am really looking forward when it comes to this franchise. Keep up the good work.

**Re: **Thanks for the compliment. Character Development is part of the reason I wrote this, and admittedly I started this when RWBY was still good. I mean, the Canon is _decent_… ish. And I use the word "decent… ish" loosely since everything just feels so _rushed_. There's barely any "down time" between arcs, it's a wonder they haven't had a psychotic break like Men in Black agents who can't adapt to Centaurian time.

**LoamyCoffee: **Ouch. Ironclad Guild sounds like they typically only take experienced customers.  
Still, horrible customer service. I mean I understand treating a novice like Jaune that way cause they don't want to waste resources but then trying to offer Pyrrha a deal? Obviously don't care whether potential customers like them or not.  
And now DIRT is back, Jaune vs DIRT next chapter maybe? That or Jack just kicks their a***.

**Re: **The Ironclad Guild makes the best armor, armored buildings, and weapons in Remnant, they can _afford _to be testy with their customers; especially when Nepotism is involved. Which is totally what Ozpin letting the likes of Jaune (and Ruby) into Beacon is. _Pyrrha_ can actually bring money into the Ironclad Guild, while _Jaune_… his reputation -and I use the word _loosely_\- speaks for itself.  
No, even Dominic, Ian, and Rudolf are still better than Jaune. It'll be Jack's "Round God Damn Two".

_***NEW WORLD***_

" . . . _Who _are you guys again?" Jack asked after a moment, causing his old teammates to flinch as though they were slapped across the face with a dead fish.

"Buh-Wha-How could you _forget _about us!" Dominic shrieked.

"Well, to be honest you're kinda _bland_…" Jack said idly as he checked his nails. "Just. Like. A background character," he said glancing up at them without raising his chin.

"OH, _SNAP_!" Nora whooped, pumping a fist.

"First night of sleep I had that wasn't outside the dorm, I _completely _forgot about you," Jack went on to say, Teams RWBY and JNPR giving them the stink-eye.

"He's _lyin_'!" Dominic yelped.

"I can't believe I used to think you were _hot_," Yang grumbled.

"I _am _hot!"

"Eh. Seven out of ten," Yang shrugged dismissively.

"I give him a six," Nora huffed even-more-dismissively.

"Probably doesn't help you're all 'DIRT'!" Ruby whooped. "No offense, new guy!"

"None taken," Terrence waved off.

"Fine. Whatever. We challenge you to a _re-match_!" Dominic rounded, Ian and Rudolf nodding their heads as they clutched at their weapons.

"You guys _do _know how this went last time, right?" Jack asked with a flat stare. "And this time around, you can't sabotage my weapon, _and _I have a full night of sleep."

"Oh we're _well _aware of that," Dominic said as he glanced up at the half-empty scoreboard. "I don't think that'll be a-"

**"ORYAAAAAAAH!"**

"…_problem," _Dominic squeaked as Jack visibly charged his energy with a powerful roar, an aura of crimson colored flames roiling around him and whipping the nearby air into a frenzy, his Aura Gauge on the scoreboard shooting upward like a rocket until it was completely filled with a situation-undercutting _***pling***_

"There. All better~" Jack cooed manically, his eyes glinting evilly as the last of the crimson flames evaporated, his Aura back to full. "Now, you were _saying_~?" he asked with a manic tilt of his head.

" . . . We're here for a rematch," Dominic said a few seconds later, feeling everyone's glares intently on his back.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Dominic, Ian, and Rudolph's equipment hadn't changed much since their last altercation with Jack, and they didn't _feel _any stronger to those who could sense that sort of thing, so RWBY and JNPR didn't have high expectations for them. Sure, Dominic had armed his rifle with an under-barrel grenade launcher, Ian had upgraded to a slightly-higher-caliber shotgun round, and Rudolph had two quivers on his back instead of one and a pair of arrow guns at his hips, but their wielders weren't any more impressive than before.

The only one of the four who really _looked _dangerous was the new guy, Terrence Timber. His battle attire were black steel-toed boots with reinforced plating, dark brown reinforced pants, a red muscle shirt beneath a fur-lined dark-brown/red jacket, a thick belt with ammo pouches, thick protective gloves, and a necklace with various types of animal teeth and claws. Held in his right hand was a matte gray attache case, with a red maple leaf within a brown circle emblazoned on each side.

"Oh! I remember you guys now!" Jack suddenly said loudly. "Didn't I kick your _ass _before?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Braxton! This won't _be _like last time!" Dominic shouted.

"Yeah, this time its four on one!" Ian added.

_'Is that_ really _something you should be proud of saying out loud?'_ the two Teams in the stands thought.

"Oh really? Because I only count _three _dead monkeys," Jack smirked.

"I HAVE TO PEE!"

"Terence! WHAT THE FUCK!" Rudolph cried as Jack's replacement on the team bolted from the stage in really exaggerated strides.

" . . . Well then…" Jack hummed as he drummed his claws on the head of his axe. "We _doing _this or what?"

"We won't let our previous humiliation stand!" Dominic shouted, cocking his rifle.

"I've humiliated your lot _plenty _of times. You'll have to be a bit more specific~" Jack chuckled.

"RRRRRRRR!" the sum of them growled.

"Oh don't take it so _personally_. It's just a little _dirt-_slinging~" Jack cooed as he dangled Terrence's attache case over his shoulder in a very delinquent-esque way. "NORA! Activate… my _theme _music," he said tossing his Mini-Scroll through the air.

"His _what _now?" Weiss blinked owlishly.

"Whoopee!" Nora whooped as she caught the Mini-Scroll, plugged in a speaker, and set a song to play.

**Cue Killer Instinct S2 OST – I'm Back (to Rise!) (TJ Combo's Theme)**

"Ohhh… yeah…~" Jack sighed with a smile on his face, hopping lightly on his feet as he shook out his arms. "Now _this_… is my _jam_!"

_'Huh. Didn't take him for a __Killing Intuition__ fan. Always figured him for a __Fatal Kombatants__ player myself…' _Yang mused to herself.

"SHOOT HIIIM!" Dominic shouted as he leveled his rifle, Ian and Rudolph following suit.

Rifle, buckshot, and arrows sailing towards Jack in flashes of muzzles and snapping of bowstring, the Faunus dropped onto all fours in a flash, projectiles passing harmlessly over his back. The next moment he was blitzing them on all fours, almost _-_no, _definitely, _contemptuously as his clawed hands and feet chewed up the distance between them in mere moments.

The Faunus stopping in front of Ian, sunk his clawed fingernails into the ground before swinging his legs underneath him and upwards into a crescent kick. Ian's shotgun/bat sent sailing overhead from the double-soled strike, Jack completed his flip before grabbing Ian by the front of his shirt and flung him into the archer on his left, the top of his skull impacting Rudolph's nose.

The two bowled over leaving their leader to fend for himself, Jack snapped up his shotgun/axe with one hand, Ian's shotgun/bat landing in the other. A contemptuous smirk tugging at Jack's lips as Dominic fumbled to round his weapon on him, the moment he got a bead on Jack he got a slug to the gut and buckshot to the face, the two attacks sending the sniper wannabe reeling.

To his credit the brown-haired teen rolled with the hit, blinking the spots out of his eyes and swiftly taking a knee before firing an under-barrel grenade Jack's way, snapping a new one into place in an instant like a well-oiled machine. Jack on the other hand had dealt with under-barrel grenade launchers before, and thus was already zipping away by the time it flew his way, Ian and Rudolph taking the blast in the Faunus' place.

Dominic, clicking his tongue angrily while Ian and Rudolph wailed in shock and agony, thumbed the firing setting on his rifle before firing at Jack in three-shot bursts. Charging towards him, Jack dual-crossed the two shotguns in front of his chest, the rounds hitting Ian's shotgun more than his own as he closed the gap between them before throwing Ian's bat like a javelin butt-first into Dominic's gut, twirling his own axe before slamming the blunt into his opponent's left collarbone, his arm going numb and his rifle dropping from his hands only for Jack to kick it up into his _own _hands and deliver a three-shot burst to his opponent's chest, sending him tumbling back.

"Agh!" Dominic winced, his good hand going to the spot below his left collarbone, a lance of pain he'd thought faded shooting through him. "What the hell…? I thought I _healed _from that!"

"Heh! Like a watermark on canvass, I've left my mark on you. _All _of you," Jack said with a smirk as Ian and Rudolph got to their feet. "For example…!"

Tossing Dominic's weapon aside and blitzing the recovering teens, Jack delivered a light chop and snap-kick to Ian's nose and Rudolph's knee respectively.

While normally weak strikes such at that would have no effect, the two let out horrible yowling noses, Ian clutching at a nose that'd been re-broken, while Rudolph crumpled to the ground like a wet sock, grabbing at his right knee.

"Do you get it now?" Jack questioned as half of his former team writhed at his feet. "You. Can't. Beat-"

_***BANG!***_

" . . . Me," Jack finished after biting the rifle round in his teeth in half with a _***Crunch***_.

Suffice it to say, his peers were left reeling.

"You…!" Dominic whimpered as he fell to his knees, a wave of despair washing over him. "This… It wasn't supposed to _be _this way… This wasn't how it was supposed to _go _this time…!"

"_Oh_? And just what made you think your chances against me were any better _this _time around?" Jack leered. "That you got a couple mods and upgrades to your shit weapons? That there were _four _of you ganging up on me instead of _three_? Your heads are so far up your asses you mistake numbers for strength, and you think growing up in one of the most-powerful countries in the world makes you strong. It. _Doesn't_," he said with a narrow-eyed glare. "Being _Human _doesn't make you 'better' than me. All your kind has going for you are you breed like cockroaches, and you can justify just about _any _atrocity," he said looking down his nose at them. "Now, I'm feeling magnanimous-enough to let you walk away today with what little dignity you have left intact. I'd advise you to _take _this offer. Otherwise it'll be a repeat of _last _time."

"Rrrrggh…! Die in Hell!" Dominic shouted as he threw a familiar grenade Jack's way and shielded his eyes, a loud _***FWASH-BANG!* **_following before he brought his eyes back up and leveled his rifle, only for Jack to have vanished.

"You think I'd fall for the same trick _twice_?" Jack asked from behind, a cold sweat running down Dominic's brow before he felt clawed hands fist the back of his hair, driving him face-first into the concrete floor with a _***CRACK!***_

"Ngh… No… But I _can _improvise!"

The next moment Dominic's hands seized Jack by the wrist, his legs locking around one of Jack's own, the Faunus raising an eyebrow as Rudolph gathered a fistful of arrows into his hand and tossed them in the air. The bluenette rapid-firing them at Jack as they came down, the Faunus whipped his long mane of hair into the arrow's path like a prehensile tail, the pointed projectiles bouncing off the keratin-augmented strands and clattering to the floor.

"Good effort, but no cigar," Jack said as his hair reached out, coiled around one of the fallen arrows, and brought it back to his free hand before he stabbed it powerfully into Dominic's shoulder, the teen crying out and letting the Faunus roll away from a follow-up shotgun blast, Ian gritting his teeth and firing off round after round, only the barest slivers of Aura being shaved off as the Faunus slipped and juked out of the way. Rudolph rushed over to Dominic's side, grabbed his discarded arrows from the ground, and began firing them only for Jack to stand his ground and slash them in half with powerful claw swipes.

"Dammit! Stand still!" Dominic shouted as his rifle rounds peppered the surrounding forcefield.

"Sure. Why not. I'm feeling generous," Jack said as he came to a stop, arms at his sides. Dominic, Ian, and Rudolph blinked owlishly at the reply, wondering what kind of trick the Faunus was playing on them.

Deciding a "stupid beast-blood" wasn't _capable _of playing tricks on Humans, the three of them leveled their respective weapons and opened fire. Team RWBY up in the stands were about to call out for him, stopping short when they realized that Jack had gone still as steel, a metallic sheen glazing his skin as bullets, buckshot, and arrows bounced off his frame, his Aura barely feeling the hit.

"Hold fire! Hold your fire!" Dominic shouted once the flattened rounds began to pool at the Faunus' feet. "It's that steel-skinned _trick _of his again."

"Well, it's not like he can _move _while doing that…" Rudolph chuckled with a weak smile, taking inventory of his arrows.

"No. But it's not like I _need _to against scrubs like _YOU_!" Jack roared as he rushed them, Dominic and Ian raising their weapons-

_***Click*Click***_

_***Click-click-click***_

"Looks like _someone _wasn't counting!" Jack smirked as he delivered a powerful Superman Punch to the two gun-users, the two whirling on their feet from the hit before he rounded on Rudolph. The teen notching an arrow, Jack whipped his hair up, hardened the tips, and cut the bowstring in two causing the archer to yelp.

"R-Reloading!" Ian cried fishing in his ammo pouch for shells while Jack was knocking Rudolph flat on his ass.

"Oh no you _don't_!" Jack cackled as he leveled his shotgun at the teen's face and fired it into his cheek from point-blank range, a massive chunk of Aura taken out as he was sent pirouetting through the air. "Don't feel left out. I've got enough deer slug for _EVERYONE_!" he said blasting Dominic another two times, his Aura dipping below 25%, the teen tumbling to the edge of the stage.

**END OST**

Normally that's where it would've ended for him, but out of spite, Dominic grabbed for his weapon and aimed at Jack's exposed back while the Faunus was blasting Ian below the losing threshold.

Looking over his shoulder, before Jack could shoot him once more in the face, regardless of how little Aura he had left, a blur of black and purple with an accent of silver swooped in, hauling Dominic by the scruff of his neck into the stands.

"Vincent?" Blake blinked, having barely caught sight of him, the wind whipping around him as he deposited Dominic onto one of the seats.

"That's enough out of _you _young man," the odd-eyed RA chided as though he were talking to a child. "When your Aura dips below 25%, that means the fight is _over _for you. Don't _make _me repeat myself."

"As for _you_!" the RA snapped turning his attention back to Ian, who was rubbing his sore butt after a 12-gauge slug struck him in the right cheek. "Don't make me chastise _two _teenagers today!" he growled, his crimson eye glinting ominously.

"N-No, sir," Ian stuttered, grabbing his shotgun and scurrying off of the stage, leaving Rudolph alone with only a pair of arrow guns to defend himself.

"You _sure _you wanna do this?" Jack asked with a raised brow as he leveled his shotgun at the remaining member of his old team, Rudolph's arrow guns trembling in his hands.

After several seconds he holstered his weapons and raised his hands in surrender.

"Didn't think so," Jack smirked as he turned around.

The Faunus walking away, no longer looking his opponent in the eye Rudolph regained an iota of nerve, raising an arrow gun to Jack's exposed back. Trigger fingers straining, before Jack could _act _on this provocation-

_***WHAP!***_

"Ow, geez, the back of my head!"

_***WHAP!***_

"Ow, the back of my lower legs!"

_***WHAP!***_

"Ow, the side of my head!"

_***WHAP!***_

"The back of my face!"

_***WHAP!***_

"The front of my front!" Rudolph yelped as he was struck on the back of the head, the back of the lower legs, the side of the head, the back of his face, and the front of his front in sequence by a familiar black riding crop, wielded by a _very _incensed odd-eyed RA, now looming above the _literally _whipped teen.

"Shooting someone in the back is _very _bad form!" Vincent said waving The Disciplinarian's twin around angrily.

"I can see why you _like _him so much~" Yang purred, Blake flushing as the blond waggled her brow suggestively.

"As for _you_," he said turning to Jack, his hands on his hips as he leveled a look at him.

"Yeah? What _about _me?" the Faunus bit back.

" . . . Actually, no, I don't really have anything to chastise you for," Vincent shrugged after a moment, waving his hand dismissively. "Good _job _not _killing _anybody."

" . . . _Thanks_?" Jack returned, sufficiently flummoxed at the shift in tone.

"Any time," Vincent nodded as he turned on his heel and walked out, a familiar face bounding into the arena shortly after.

"Hey guys! I'm back!" Terrence said with a smile. "What did I miss?"

"Uuuuugh…"

"Moan…"

"You asshole…"

"So, new guy. You take care of your nervous bladder?" Jack questioned with levity while Dominic, Ian, and Rudolph bitched and moaned.

"Something like that," Terrence shrugged. "Normally I'd pick up where they left off, but I don't want anyone thinking I only won because three guys 'softened you up' for me," he said looking at the scoreboard.

"Well _someone's _confident in himself," Jack chuckled mirthfully.

"In this business, you _have _to be," Terrence said patting his attache case. "What say we pick this up another day?"

"Why not _this _day, after dinner?" Jack groused.

"Well, if you can get back up to one-hundred _percent _by then."

"It's a _date_. Hopefully you don't just _lie there _and take it like a dead fish, like _those _assholes," he chuckled, jabbing a thumb at his ex-leader who fumed in the stands.

"I hope to exceed expectations," Terrence returned with a wry grin.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Well _that _was…" Ruby paused.

"Hilarious?" Nora groused as they made their way back to the dorms.

"Yeah, sure, let's go with that," Ruby nodded.

"You think they'll be smart enough to learn their _lesson_ this time?" Weiss asked, brow raised.

"_Doubt _it," Yang shrugged. "Still, it was good for a laugh while it lasted."

"I still think you could've gone with a higher caliber shotgun slug…" Nora pouted.

"Nora, if he went any higher, he would've ripped them in _two_," Pyrrha chided.

" . . . _And_?"

"Exactly the response I'd expect from you," Ren hummed with a wry smile.

"Sooo… What kind of weapon do you think Terrence has?" Jaune groused.

"Dunno. With the right T-Cogs, it could be _anything _in that case," Ruby hummed thoughtfully.

"I'm hoping he's stronger than his peers, but let's be real; that isn't a high bar to reach," Jack hummed.

"Sooo… are you _ever _going to stop hating those guys?" Ruby asked.

"Would _you_?"

"I've never had to live life as a Faunus, so I couldn't say in any objective fashion," Ruby hummed smartly.

"_Someone _sounds like they swallowed a pocket dictionary," Nora huffed, causing Ruby to blush a little.

"Let me guess~ You wanna sound smart for your Playgirl Bunny boyfriend~?" Yang teased.

"Sh-sh-sh-shu-shut up!" Ruby squeaked, the others getting a light chuckle out of it.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhile, with Team DIRT…

"Dammit…!" Dominic swore, pounding a fist into the wall. "We _had _him this time! We _had _him! So why did we _lose_?!"

"Maybe… he's just that _strong-_"

"No! NO, I _refuse_ to accept that!" Dominic cut Ian off. "There's no way a damn beast-blood could surpass us! We're his _betters_! That means no matter what he's supposed to _lose _to us!"

"Wow…" Terrence said after a sharp whistle. "You guys are really _full _of yourselves, huh?"

"_Youuuuuu_…!" Dominic hissed whirling on him. "Why the fuck'd you bail on us?!"

"That seemed like more of a '_you _thing'… And of course I had to pee~"

"Don't give me that crap! I'm the _leader _of this Team, which means you'll show me the respect I'm _due_!" Dominic shouted, grabbing the older teen's collar and trying to haul him up.

"Trying" being the operative word, because despite his best efforts, the muscles in his neck drawn taut like suspension bridge cables, Dominic couldn't lift his teammate an iota from the ground.

Before the sniper could _ruminate _on this however…

_***Crack!***_

Terrence's attache case was smashed into the side of his temple, the bushy-haired teen sent whirling through the air, one eye dilated and blood dribbling from his mouth as he pirouetted towards the ground.

"Now then…" Terrence said pulling up his case and wiping off the blood with Dominic's clothes. "Anyone _else _want to try and pull rank?" he asked amicably, Ian and Rudolph frantically shaking their heads as Terrence loomed over them. "Goooood~"

_***NEW WORLD***_

Meanwhile, back in RWBBY's room…

" . . . Yang, stop it," Blake chided.

"Stop _what_?"

"Stop _pestering_ him," Blake huffed as Yang waved her hand before Jack's face, the Faunus' legs crossed and his fists pressed together as he meditated, his body almost statue-still, the rise and fall of his chest barely perceptible.

"I was just _checking_."

"Checking… _what_?" Blake asked, exasperated.

"Uhhh… I plead the fifth."

"Of course you do," Blake sighed.

" . . . Hey, Weiss."

"What is it, Ruby?"

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Mine are at _least _a whole dollar."

"Oh _really_? And how much are your _naughty _ones~?" Yang asked, the heiress' cheeks flushing red before she turned her attention back to Ruby.

"What do you want, Ruby?"

"Just wondering…" she hummed. "Looking back on it now, what do you think of my choice inducting Jack into Team Ruby?"

" . . .Team Dirge pushed Jack away, so their _loss_ was our gain," Weiss answered after a few seconds. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, to be fair, you _weren't _all that thrilled when Jack first joined the team," Ruby answered. "In fact, the two of you _hated _eachother. You even tried to _kill _him at one point!"

"Th-That was just a spar that went too far…" the heiress muttered. "Anyway… You stood up for your friend that day, just like you stood up for me when Dr. Stein wanted to dissect me like a science lab frog. If you told me back then that I'd eventually get _along _with Jack, I'd have gotten you insti_tutionalized_."

"Money _talks_, I guess," Blake shrugged.

"The point I'm trying to _make _is…!" Weiss piped in. "In response to your question, I shouldn't have faulted your choice."

At this, Ruby could only beam brightly, her smile practically _blinding _to the heiress.

" . . . What do you think he _thinks _about?" Yang asked a minute later as the girls turned their eyes toward Jack again, who remained unresponsive despite the chatter going on around him.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Uuuuugh…"

"Yeah, there he is!"

"You! Stop right where you are, that is an _order_! He's getting away! Do not let him get to the re-"

_***Clunk***_

"D-Don't do it, pal!"

"Do. Not. Do it!"

"Om nom nom nom…"

"Oohhhhhhh, hell…"

"H-h-hey, let's just calm down here! You listening? J-j-just… _OH GOD!_"

_***Thump*Thump*Thump*Thump***_

_"OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GO-"_

_***Splat***_

_***Split***_

_***Splash***_

"Ahahahaha!"

"_My blood_! H-he punched out _all _my blood!"

_***Bif***_

_***Slap***_

"Ow, ow ow ow ow! Ouch, ouch! Ahhh…"

_***Thud***_

_***Snap***_

"You call that breaking my spine? You White Faunus ladies wouldn't know how to break a spine if-"

_***CRUNCH!***_

"**AUGHHH! **MY SPINE!"

"Eyaaaauuuuugh!"

_***NEW WORLD***_

" . . . He looks so _peaceful_," Yang awed, blissfully unaware of the pure hell that was the inside of Jack Braxton's tortured, and possibly dain-bramaged, mind.

_***NEW WORLD***_

The rest of the day for Team RWBBY went toward completing their homework, though Jack's impending fight with "the new guy" continued to loom over them. Unlike Jack's previous teammates who were all arrogant self-aggrandizing Humans, the stereotype that every Faunus held Humans to, Terrence seemed _far _more composed. Of course, the teen had had an additional year to mature before being re-admitted to Beacon, so that may've been a part of it.

Ultimately, the girls were curious as to how Terrence Timber would stack up compared to the teammates Jack had left behind after his first week.

They also unironically wonder whether or not Jack would pull any new tricks "out his ass" as he'd done in the past when fighting strong opponents in front of them.

You'd think they were joking, but not having to go to school five days a week frees up a _ton _of time for training, and thus, time to learn "Ultimate Techniques".

At least as Jack so-eloquently put it.

Certain members of the team _*cough*_Weiss_*cough* _are simply amazed that Jack isn't a complete muscle-head like _some *cough*_Yang_*cough* _people.

_***NEW WORLD***_

After dinner that evening, upon leaving the mess hall, Jack and Terrence had locked eyes partway between there and the dorm. An unspoken message exchanged between the two men, they nodded their heads, then moved toward the arena, Teams RWBY and JNPR following after.

Since the dinner rush had just ended, the arena was vacant, as most people would be settling down at that point in the day. This meant the fight to come would remain a private affair, doubly-so because Terrence's team was conspicuously absent as the two fighters stepped into the ring, clad in their individual armors, weapons at their sides.

"I really _do _need to thank you again for recommending me," Terrence said amicably as the scoreboard calibrated to their Aura. "I had _real _shitty luck last time."

"Oh? What happened?" Jack asked curiously.

"Oh, the usual. I had Aura pouring out the wazu, so every Grimm within ten miles was gunning for me."

"And what stopped you from coming back _this _year?"

"Well, I _already _had a steady job, so it didn't seem that important, but when I got a recall from Ozpin, who was I to refuse?" Terrence shrugged. "Plus, free room and board for four years is _very _hard to pass up."

"Ah, so you've got working _experience_, then. Good. Good. I've been _itching _for a challenge from someone my age," Jack said cracking his knuckles.

_"I'm pretty sure they make _ointment_ for that."_

_"Nora…"_

"Moving on…" Terrence said ignoring the peanut gallery as he drummed his fingers on his attache case's handle. "You ready to shake the rust from your gears?"

"Ready when you are!" Jack smirked.

"Oh! But of course, I hope you'll understand if I hold something back," Terrence added with a hopeful nod. "With the Vytal Festival coming up, I'd like to hold onto my trump card as long as I can, and I can't do that if everyone and their grandma knows what it _is_."

"That's fair," Jack nodded. "To be honest, that'll be the most exposure I've ever gotten. All my other feats are just rumors that started in middle-of-nowhere towns and villages on the Frontier."

"STOP SUCKING FACE AND _PUNCH _SOMEONE ALREADY!" someone _*cough*_Nora_*cough* _shouted from the stands.

"Well… Who am I to refuse my adoring public~?" Terrence asked with a disarming grin, his thumb depressing a button in his case's handle.

The sounds of T-Cogs ratchetting and sliding against one another, Terrence's attache case split down the middle before folding out sideways, a triple-barrel gatling gun extending from the case's confines, the inner workings of the weapon still encapsulated as a secondary hand-hold popped out.

With an incredibly-short spool-up time only possible through chrome-lined bearings, Terrence fired a deluge of rounds at Jack, the Faunus strafing his opponent at a rapid pace, the surrounding forcefield rippling wildly under the bullet storm assailing it.

**Cue Red vs Blue Season 9 OST - Extraction**

And Terrence wasn't idling with a gatling gun in his hands either, standing in place. The older teen actually ran around in a small circle to keep pace with Jack, the tail-end of the Faunus' long hair jerking violently from the gunshots grazing them. The rush of air at his rear starting to become discomforting, Jack kicked off the ground and spun in mid-air, the vapor trails of Terrence's rounds passing down his face like raindrops.

The corner of Terrence's lip quirking as Jack kicked off the forcefield and launched himself at him like a gunshot, the red-head depressed his middle finger on the inside of his case handle, the sound of T-Cogs ratchetting and meshing once more. The triple-barrel gatling gun retreating into its case as he back-spun, Jack's eyes went wide and he whipped out his shotgun/axe, intercepting the powerful-looking chainsaw blade suddenly protruding in the gatling gun's place.

Angry sparks spilling into the air around them as the segmented blade screamed, Terrence swung the blade upward at Jack, the Faunus leveraging his weapon to mount a hasty retreat, only for the Human to front-step and swing his weapon at the Faunus' midriff before he could land.

"First blood" drawn as a sizeable chunk of Jack's Aura was chewed away, Terrence double-tapped his index finger, burning tongues of fire spilling out of vents at the case's rear as his chainsaw went into overdrive, the segmented blade screaming louder than ever as he swung it out across his body before bringing it down into the ground.

Jack's eyes going wide as the blade was swung underhanded, the Faunus raised his arms in front of his face, narrowly shielding his visage mere moments before he was peppered by a deluge of jagged concrete shards and slivers of molten rebar. His Aura dropping at a rapid pace, the scent of burning hair filling his nostrils, seeing his Human opponent whirl back his chainsaw blade for another concrete kick-upping assault, the Faunus grabbed a long loch of hair from over his shoulder, crimson light spilling out of his mouth before powerful energy fangs sheared through the keratin-reinforced lochs.

Terrence's eyes going wide as the Faunus dove _into _the path of his blade, low to the ground, the Faunus thrust his severed hair forward like a garotte wire.

Spinning blades latching onto it hungrily, Terrence's chainsaw let out a horrible sputtering noise as it ground to a stop, chainsaw blade stranded mid-swing in a tangle of monochrome lochs.

"Dude…!" Terrence gaped as he stared slack-jawed at his weapon.

The moment he turned his eyes back to Jack, he was suddenly victim to a powerful frog punch to the chin that sent him flying, hands leaving his weapon altogether as he arced through the air before landing heavily on his back with a powerful _***THUD!***_

Jack shaking his hands from the recoil of hitting such a strong jaw, seeing his concussed opponent on the ground, the Faunus quickly scrambled for his shotgun before firing a round, only for the slug to bounce off the wicked-looking survival knife Terrence drew from his boot.

The blade sailing through the air before biting deep into the barrel, Jack blinked in astonishment before tossing his weapon aside, he and Terrence slowly rising, fists raised as the two fighters appraised one another.

**END OST**

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Whoa…" Ruby gawped as Jack and Terrence strafed around one another, the air quiet and discarded weapons forgotten.

"You can say _that _again," Yang nodded dumbly.

"Did you _see _that!?" she suddenly sqealed. "He had a gatling gun _and _a chainsaw in that suitcase!"

"_That's _what you fixated on?" Weiss gawped.

"Well, what _was _I supposed to fixate on?" Ruby pouted.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the actual _combat_?!"

"Hey, you knew what you were getting into when you made her your partner," Yang said crossing her arms.

"Only because she was the _lesser _of two evils."

"What's _that _supposed to mean?" Jaune yelped.

"Quiet you. We're still not on speaking terms," Weiss said without looking him in the eye.

"Awww…"

"How long'd that take exactly?" Pyrrha asked while patting the blond consolingly on the shoulder.

"A minute. Two tops," Ren answered, equally impressed.

**Cue – Death Battle: Mighty (Score from the Rooster Teeth Series) {0:18}**

_***BOOM!***_

"Ohshit!" Nora yelped as the two delivered a powerful cross-counter that shook the air, Jack's Aura dropping from **70 **to **59**, Terrence's from **63 **to **54**.

The two teen leaning angrily into the hit as they dug their heels, trying to power through the blows to their other cheek, teeth gnashing, twin auras of red like blood flared around the two like angry flames, the bits of kicked-up concrete sent skittering out of bounds.

Both rear heels skidding back at once, instead of diving back in the two instead retreated to gain more ground, Jack in a strangely-graceful cat-like flip while Terrence used a powerful back-step. The two locking eyes, the tension around the two thickened to the point the air grew hazy around them.

Terrence taking up a runner's stance while Jack once more dropped to all fours, claws extended, the two shot off like bullets once again, meeting violently in the middle with a powerful shoulder charge. Spiritual pressure rising rapidly around them, the scoreboard overhead began to glitch out as crimson sparks shot outward from the point of contact, the two locking eyes with one another before leaping back once again.

This time however the return to combat was immediate, the two stepping back in and clashing shins with a powerful high kick, once again causing sparks to explode in all direction.

Both their cores flexing with a powerful _***BANG!***_, it was Jack's legwork that won out in the end as he completed his kick, Terrence's planted leg leaving the ground as he was sent pinwheeling into the air.

"IT'S _OVER_!" Jack shouted as he drew his right arm back, the crimson aura around him gathering visibly into his clenched fists. **"Spirit SHOTGUN!" **he shouted as he threw his arm forward, a powerful cascade of Aura granules screaming through the air toward Terrence, the red-head peppered with miniature explosions as he was propelled backward through the air.

A claxon sounding as Jack's attack exhausted itself, all eyes turned to the scoreboard, and all eyes went wide as they saw that Jack's Aura had descended to **24%**, whereas Terrence's was down to **26%**. Barely any higher than Jack's, but a win all the same.

**END OST**

"Whoa… What _happened_…?" Ruby awed. "How'd Jack lose if _his _was the final hit? I mean, did you _see that_?! It was like exploding _buckshot_!"

"Jack must've weaponized his Aura for that final blow, and the strength of Terrence's Aura was simply stronger right then," Weiss said aloud, just as much to herself as to Ruby.

"Have we even _seen _Jack lose before?" Jaune asked, still blinking wide-eyed.

"I'm sure they were _both _holding back, just like how Professor Goodwitch was obviously holding back when _they _fought, so a rule-oriented spar isn't really a strong indicator of 'who's better'," Pyrrha commented as Terrence dusted himself off.

"Whoo! What a rush! Almost _had _me for a while there," Terrence said running his fingers through his hair.

"Yeah… I'll say…" Jack nodded, shaking out his hand. "You almost had me with that _chainsaw_ back then. Sorry about getting it… you know… _Stuck_."

"Ah, well… Churning up concrete and rebar the way I did, I was kinda _asking _for it," Terrence returned as he rubbed the back of his head.

"You uh… You want some help?" he offered.

"Nah," he said fishing for some tools in his pockets. "This wouldn't be the _first _time I got my chainsaw stuck in something, and it _won't _be the last," he said with a self-deprecating smile.

"Well, as long as you say so…" Jack shrugged as he bent down to pick up his axe and wrenched the thrown knife free of the barrel, throwing it back to his opponent who caught it between two fingers.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Leaving Terrence to his own devices, Teams RWBBY and JNPR made their way back to the dormitories.

The fighting had been short, but nonetheless intense, the more-excitable members of the group recounting what had occurred with a slightly-exaggerated play-by-play.

Jack for his part walked in silence, keeping an ear open to his surroundings just in case someone thought to attack him.

Plenty of Hunters had been killed after high-profile tournaments after being "softened up", after all.

"Sooo… It's either really good or really _bad _that Jack's former teammates have such a strong guy on their team now," Yang hummed aloud.

"Terrence might be strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Jack of all people, but it's obvious he doesn't respect their seniority," Weiss commented.

"Wait! You mean he didn't _really _have to go pee?!" Nora gawped openly.

"Nora, you're a lady. _Please _try to show a little decorum," Weiss sighed tiredly before Ren could chastise his ginger friend. "Honestly. _'Pee'_. How crass can you get?"

"_You _said 'pee'," Ruby pouted.

"I was _quoting _her. And stop saying 'pee'!" the heiress shrieked.

_'This is _not _a conversation I thought I'd ever be privy to,' _Jack said to himself thoughtfully.

"You know…" Blake said getting his attention, choosing to ignore as Weiss, Ruby, and Nora bickered back and forth with one another. "I don't think you've ever shown an opponent this much _respect _before," she said as though she were recognizing a sign of maturity.

"Well, you know the old saying. Game recognizes game," Jack shrugged.

"I don't think it's _that _old," Yang hummed.

"Says the girl who whips out golden oldies like 'bees' knees' and 'cat's pajamas'"

"Technically it's only _one _bee's knees," Yang corrected.

"Oh, you know what I mean," Jack returned flatly.

"Still, it's good to know you can show _some _people respect," Weiss noted idly.

"You act as though I'm a muscle-headed brute who only knows how to give people, and life, the middle _finger_," Jack said aghast.

"Well, if the shoe _fits_," Jaune shrugged. " . . . Oh yeah, _real _mature," the blond deadpanned as the Faunus proceded to flip him a pair of birds.

_***Boink***_

"AUGH!" Jaune yelped as the two birds suddenly pecked his eyes.

"Heh. The more things change, the more they stay the same," Blake hummed mirthfully.


	30. Grateful Reds

**TM11: **Great fight! Also, seeing that suit case turn into a gattling gun and a chainsaw makes me think that Terrance has DMC's Pandora's Box; that Devil Arm that can turn into 666 different weapons. Seriously, that weapon would fit into RWBY like a velvet glove.

**Re: **You would _think _that's the reference I was making with Terrence's weapon, but no, I was actually referencing Sven Vollfied's signature weapon from Black Cat. Since Black Cat was originally serialized in 2000 (to 2004), and Devil May Cry 4 came out in 2008, Sven Vollfied's Attache Case-style multi-weapon came out first.  
I can definitely see where that _assumption _would come from since Coco's Gianduja could _easily _be one of Pandora's transformations, but whereas Pandora is pure magic, Sven Vollfied's weapon is closer-based to somewhat-believable science.

**LoamyCoffee: **Ah, yes. that certainly makes sense. I must say that I'm quite pleased with Terrence being so strong, I was worried he was going to be weak like the rest of DIRT. Oh yes, I'm actually more curious about him now that he's actually fought Jack.  
Sorry I couldn't review earlier.

**Re: **Yeah, I wanted to add a sort of Rival for Jack, and having him be Strong makes up for the fact that the Team he's now on is phonetically pronounced "dirt".

**Blaze1992: **Huh I thought for sure it would end like the Revy vs Roberta fistfight in black lagoon.

**Re: **Now _that's _a series I haven't thought of in a long time. Of course, I _am _buying the manga now that I have some disposable income…  
Although, given it's a _school _and not some kind of second-world ghetto, a fight escalating to _that _level would feel a little out-of-place.  
Maybe out in a village on the Frontier, but hardly at Beacon or Vale proper.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhile from Jack Braxton's interpersonal issues with the members of his previous team…

"Sooo…" Cardin hummed, sitting across from the RA, a cup of tea set in front of him. "Youuuu wanted to _see _me about something?"

"Well, it all started with this _dream _I had of you last night-"

"Uhhh…" Cardin trailed off, a blush rising on his cheeks.

"-where I jump-kicked you in the face."

"Oh!" Cardin hummed, less-embarrassed, though a little bit ashamed his mind had _immediately _gone into the gutter. "What uh… What exactly _happened _in this dream you had about me?"

Not that he ever thought he'd be asking another _dude _that question.

_***One Explanation Later***_

"So… Even though it was all a dream, it still felt so _real_, so I feel like I _owe _you something. Sooo… Anything you need help with?" he asked, coming to the end of his tale.

"Hm? Oh, naw, I don't need anything from… Well… actually…" Cardin trailed off, one thing coming to mind. "There is _something _I could use your help with."

"Well don't just sit there like a lump. Lay it on me!" the RA said enthused.

"There's… There's this _girl _I like… I met her at the armorer when I needed some dings taken out of my breastplate."

"Go on."

"Well, the first time I saw her I got butterflies in my stomach, but for all I knew it could've been a one-time thing. _Then_, a few days later when I saw her at the training field knocking down training robots with her rocket-powered flail… _Whoa_~" he said breathlessly

"Whoa?"

"Whoa. It was like… Maybe it's one of those, 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' things, but to _me_, that girl was _breathtaking_…"

"Sounds like you really _like _this girl."

"I _do_, but… Whenever I saw her around campus, even when she was alone, I got all tongue-tied and couldn't talk to her. At least unless it was business-related, but getting my armor dinged up _just _so I have an excuse to talk to her…"

"I take it you don't want to come across as… _incompetent_?"

"More like having the Ironclad Guild repair your armor too many times a month gets very _expensive_," Cardin corrected. "Don't get me wrong, they do good work, but I think they might take offense if I come in _too _often."

" . . . So then you just need help _talking _to this girl?"

"If it isn't too much trouble…" Cardin admitted.

"Sure, I can help you with that if you want," he nodded. "Still, why come to _me _with this?" the RA then asked. "I mean, I _know _I said I'd help you with anything you needed, but why not someone from your own Team if it's for something this important?"

"Well, other than not wanting any of _them _to get the hots for this girl in case she's their type _too_, from what I hear you're a pretty smooth operator yourself~" Cardin said leaning back in his chair, arms crossed and eyebrow waggling.

" . . . Really?" Vincent asked blinking owlishly, his head tilted. "Huh. And here I thought I was just being _courteous _to all those young women," he shrugged.

_'I'm starting to think maybe this was a bad idea,' _Cardin thought to himself, realizing some of Vincent's so-called 'charm' may've been more accredited to a vulnerable, naïve innocence that made girls want to protect and _nurture _him rather than anything the guy was _consciously _doing.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"I _literally _cannot believe that just worked," Cardin gawped as Vincent guided him towards the training grounds from the Ironclad Guild's "guild hall" a short while later.

Brigitte hadn't been _there _when they'd first arrived, and Cardin didn't have the steel to ask for her _specifically _since most of the guys behind the counter looked like they could break him like one of those conjoined chocolate-covered wafer bar confections. _Thus_, Vincent came in to the rescue.

Since word had gotten out that Glynda was the new RA's "den mother", courtesy of Ozpin and the rumor mill, because Vincent was dressed so-similarly to her and was holding a clip board, these factors all lent him a certain amount of presence with the school faculty. Hence, none of the Ironclad Guild found it weird when he asked for the whereabouts of one of their own, putting it in good faith that he wouldn't abuse whatever authority they assumed he was acting upon.

"I know, weird, _right_?" Vincent asked holding up the clipboard. "I mean, there isn't even anything _on _here," he said leafing through a sheaf of blank pages.

_"Yeah, how about we _not _advertise that until we're absolutely sure no-one from the Guild can see us,"_ Cardin muttered. "Sooo… where _is _she anyway?"

"Out at one of the training fields smacking around the training bots apparently," Vincent hummed. "You know, it might be a good idea to tell me what this girl looks like. Just so I don't hype you up to the wrong girl by mistake."

"Yeah, that _would _kind of suck," Cardin hummed, wanting to avoid any sitcom shenanigans.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Upon arriving at one of the training fields at the edge of campus, the training droid repair building a little ways away where all the beat-up mechs were hauled away to and recycled for later use…

"There she is…" Cardin said breathlessly, going slightly gooey-eyed as he and Vincent beheld the object of the prior's affections.

Brigitte Lindholm was a rather _tall _girl with her dark hair drawn back into a high ponytail, matching brown eyes, and a cute button nose. At the moment she was clad in silver armor over the majority of her body, yellow accents scattered throughout, a brown waist cape hung over her right hip; the armor itself made her look rather broad-shouldered, moreso than Cardin's did. Her armaments consisted of a rocket-powered flail in her right hand, while on her left arm was a lion-faced shield projecting a metal-edged blue-tinted forcefield.

All in all, she looked like a "shield maiden", with more armor on her person than most light vehicles. The golden flag trailing luminous particulates sprouting from her armored backpack gave off the impression she was meant to lead others into battle to fight at her side, though at the moment she was all alone as she swung her collapsible flail to and fro, busting heads when they drew close and raising her shield when they weren't.

"Huh. Looks like we've got a runner," Brigitte hummed as one of the AK-130s turned around and began a hasty retreat. Though not inherently acting on self-preservation, Beacon's fleet of combat androids _did _shy away from self-destructive tendencies, if only because repairing a pile of scrap was costly and in some parts wasteful.

Squaring her feet on the ground and snapping her flail forward, with a depression of the trigger, the four sides of the flail head spread out into a cross shape, a quartet of rockets launching the metal implement a full twenty meters at forty meters per second, the AK-130 struck in the back and broken into pieces before the rocket flail returned to her weapon's handle with a loud _***Click***_

"Whoa…" Cardin awed as the girl wiped her brow with an armored sleeve.

"She seems nice," Vincent hummed. "Well, let's go talk to her."

"Yeah… Hey, _wait_! I'm not mentally _ready _yet!" Cardin yelped as a chromed hand clamped down around his wrist, the RA dragging him out onto the field right as Brigitte knocked down the last of the robots with a powerful shield bash, augmented by miniature rocket thrusters from her armored backpack.

"Hi there!" Vincent greeted heartily.

"Oh, hello," Brigitte replied, eyeing the two strangely as one was dragged forward by the other. "Do you need me for something?" she asked as her eyes darted to the clipboard in the enigmatic teen's hand.

"Oh _me_? No, not really," he said tossing the clipboard carelessly over my shoulder. "Have you met my friend _Cardin_?" he asked pulling the ginger forward.

_"Whaaat?!" _Cardin hissed as he was put on the spot.

_"Cardin Winchester, either you talk to that nice girl right now, or I'll shove my robot hand so far up your ass you become the world's whiniest _sock _puppet,"_ Vincent stage-whispered, presenting the back of his raised chrome-colored hand.

"But-"

_"Shoulder. _Deep_. Cardin,"_ Vincent growled, moving his fingers in a very sock puppet-like fashion to emphasize the point.

"R-R-Right…!" Cardin yelped as the RA presented his chromed hand like a doctor before a prostate exam. "Um… Hi."

"Hello," Brigitte returned.

"Would you, um… I mean, if you aren't _doing _anything tonight would you like to… uh…"

_"Sock puppet~" _Vincent muttered in a sing-song voice.

"Would you like to get a coffee some time?" Cardin asked nervously, Brigitte's brow raising, her fingers drumming on her flail. "N-No, not _that _kind of 'coffee'!" he swiftly amended, realizing how the word 'coffee' could be misconstrued. "I mean… do you have dinner plans tonight?"

"Not particularly," Brigitte replied. "Why do you ask?"

"W-Well…" Cardin said walking to the side as Vincent made to step behind him; into sock puppeteering range. "If you didn't have anything planned tonight, I was… hoping to treat you to dinner. As a way of saying thanks for the work you put into my armor," he said pounding his breastplate.

"Why, Cardin Winchester. Are you asking me out on a _date_?" Brigitte asked with mock shock.

"I-If you feel like calling it that," Cardin replied, threats of being turned into "the world's whiniest sock puppet" distracting him from the butterflies in his stomach that would've normally rendered him a gibbering _mess_.

"Hmmm… Sure, why not," Brigitte replied. "It'd be rude to turn down a free meal from a paying customer."

"Right-I mean, _great_!" Cardin nodded hastily. "I'll uh… I'll pick you up at the station at four, and make our way into Vale from there."

"Sounds great," Brigitte returned with a smile. "You both take care now," she said giving the two a nod, her armor plates clanking together as she walked off. It was only once she was out of earshot that Cardin allowed himself to slump to the ground, mentally exhausted from trying to stop himself going gooey-eyed.

"Whew… What was a close one," the red-head sighed. "Thanks for keeping me on task."

"You're welcome," Vincent nodded. "So, where're you going to take her?"

" . . . _Fuck_!" he swore a moment later, realizing he hadn't thought that far.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"You wanted to take the girl out to dinner, but you didn't even think of _where _to take her?" Vincent asked exasperatedly back in his room, where he and Cardin would have at least an iota of privacy.

"I-I could never _get _that far before!" Cardin blurted out.

" . . . Well, we've still got plenty of time to fix that," Vincent waved off, opening his Scroll and letting deft chrome fingers dance over the search engine. "Let's see… Nothing _too _fancy, otherwise she'll think you're trying to bribe your way into her panties," he began causing Cardin to flush. "Of course, you don't wanna be too cheap _either_, otherwise, well… she'll think of you as a 'cheap date'~" he said with a bit of cheek.

"I know _that _much…" Cardin grumbled. "Money isn't that big of an issue. I got some money from Border Patrol the other day, so I can splurge a _little _bit. Having free room and board's more-useful than I gave it credit for," he said humming that last part more to himself than to the RA sitting across from him.

"Alright… I've narrowed down the search engine, so now we just need to go through all the options before we-"

"Why'd you stop?" Cardin asked as the RA's back suddenly straightened.

"RA Senses… tingling…!"

" . . . What?" Cardin asked confusedly.

"Be right back!" Vincent said grabbing something from his desk drawer before dashing out of the room, full-sprint.

"Um… Okay…" Cardin hummed awkwardly. "Did he… did he just pull a _riding crop _out of that desk drawer…?" he asked confusedly, shifting uncomfortably. "You know what, screw it; I _don't _wanna know," he said holding up his hands in surrender.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"IIIIIII'm _back_!" Vincent said returning a short while later, bending and flexing his black riding crop with a satisfied smile on his face. "Now, where were we?"

"Um… We were just deciding where would be a good place for me to take Brigitte for dinner," Cardin said warily eyeing the riding crop in the RA's hand, and then the RA himself as though looking at him for the first time. " . . . Okay, I've gotta ask. _Why_… do you have that riding crop exactly?"

"A friend of Glynda's said something about 'being a matching set', and told me to make sure I always had it on hand when disciplining rowdy students," Vincent answered with a completely straight face as he returned his riding crop to its place in his desk drawer.

"That… um… Using something like that might give people the wrong idea."

"Why? _Glynda _uses a riding crop to discipline rowdy students."

"Yeah, but Glynda is a… You know…" he paused awkwardly.

"Caucasian?" Vincent asked with a straight face.

" . . . Let's move on," Cardin sighed, realizing this guy might not be all-there, but was still better off having his help than not. "You said something about a restaurant."

"Yeah, narrowing it down, we have quite a few choices to, you know, _choose _from," he said placing the Scroll on the table between them and spinning it around, a column of 3-Star restaurants visible on the screen. "Do you know what kind of food Brigitte likes?"

"Um… No," Cardin admitted awkwardly.

" . . . Not inspiring confidence, but alright…" Vincent shrugged off, causing Cardin to glower at him for a moment. However, the teen's expression softened as an adorable purple cat brushed by his ankles before leaping up onto the couch opposite him.

'_What the hell…?'_

Of course, that softened expression faltered when he saw the tin of sardines clutched in the cat's prehensile tail, its golden eyes looking up at the RA expectantly.

"Oh, hello, Blair," the RA said as he opened the tin, the purple-haired cat laying on her back atop his legs as he worked the Scroll with his free hand.

_'That is one pampered cat…' _Cardin thought as Blair was hand-fed sardines like a rich-and-opulent person in Rome being hand-fed grapes.

"Moving on, how does this Italian place look?" he suggested, turning the Scroll around.

"Hey, I recognize that place," Cardin blinked.

"Oh, good. Then that means you can really _wow _her with your inside knowledge," Vincent said as Blair mewled happily on his lap. "Of course, on the off-chance she _hates _Italian food, you'll need a Plan B. _Always _have a Plan B," he added as he rubbed the cat's belly, getting an appreciative mewl between sardines. "And maybe a Plan C so you have a backup plan _for _the backup plan."

"Wow. You're really going the extra mile to help me, aren't you?" Cardin asked. Most guys his age would've taken the 'fuck it; I'm lazy' option, but the RA was being incredibly helpful.

"What can I say? I don't like half-assing things, on account of how half an ass is too little ass to comfortably sit on."

" . . . Okay…" Cardin said awkwardly, wondering what prompted _that _line of thought. " . . . Wait, when'd you get the _cat_?!"

Because _that _was what he chose to take away from the exchange_…_

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Okay, we have the plan, the backup plan, and the backup plan _for _the backup plan," Cardin hummed as he looked over the pages of notes scattered on the coffee table between them.

As it turned out, the whole "half an ass is too little ass to comfortably sit on" spiel worked its way into his head like an earworm_…_

More on that later_…_

"If Brigitte knew what sort of effort you were putting into making sure this date went off perfectly, I think she'd be quite flattered," Vincent hummed as he stroked the head of the cat resting in his lap.

"You don't think it's a little much?"

"I'd need a point-of-reference to answer that," Vincent answered. "Still, you should probably tell your team where you'll be tonight in case they plan to eat at the same place."

"I highly doubt that's the case."

In response to this, Vincent looked down at Cardin's notes, and then back up to Cardin.

"You sure you wanna risk that?"

" . . . Alright, fine, I'll check," Cardin sighed, sending a blanket text to his team. "Oh crap!" he yelped dropping his Scroll.

"What?!" Vincent yelped, dislodging the cat as he rose.

"What if I don't know what to say? I can't just call you up on my Scroll for help whenever I get tongue-tied!" he cried. "I mean… I _could _if I went into the bathroom, but I think it'd be kinda suspicious if I went to the bathroom every five _minutes_!" he amended.

"Hmmm… Maybe one of your _teammates _could offer a solution?"

" . . . "

" . . . "

" . . . You know what, fuck it. At this point I'll give _anything _a try 'cause I'm _too far in _to pull out now."

"Phrasing."

" . . . I'm just gonna pretend you didn't say that."

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Alright, Cardin, listen up because we're running low on time, so I can't explain this more than once," Russel said as he helped straighten Cardin's clothes that evening. "Set behind your right ear is a micro-receiver that loops directly into your ear canal; the only one that'll be able to hear it is you. Up your right sleeve is a microphone. Click it twice in succession to turn it on, twice to turn it off. Vincent has another receiver and transmitter of his own that he'll be using to guide you throughout your date tonight."

"This seems pretty high-tech. Where'd you _get _this stuff?" Cardin asked as he adjusted the device in his ear and the sleeve of his evening wear. Not too fancy, not too casual; juuust right.

"My parents own an electronics store," Russel answered bashfully, as though admitting to something so… 'domestic', was something to be embarrassed over. "But anyway, that's beside the point," he said shaking his head. "As long as you have these, Vincent should be able to help you out of any pitfalls you might land in."

"Certainly better than having him sit next to you and step on your foot whenever you say something _stupid_," Dove chuckled. "It works in sitcoms, but in _real _life, people would catch wise."

"Still…" Sky said drawing his leader's attention. "Why come to him at first instead of us?" he asked gesturing to the RA, sounding mildly offended, given the RA had a reputation for being… eccentric.

"Because I think I really like this girl and I don't want you getting any funny ideas," Cardin answered brusquely.

" . . . Okay, that's fair," Sky shrugged.

"You have good friends, Cardin," Vincent nodded.

"So, um…" Russel hummed as he shifted his feet. "I know you probably get asked this a lot, but I've _got _to ask… Where'd you get the robot arm?"

_***NEW WORLD***_

Later that evening, Cardin and Brigitte met at the skyport for one of the last shuttles out of Beacon. Like Cardin, her clothes for dinner that evening weren't too fancy nor too casual, instead they were "juuust right"; black T-Shirt with a rust-colored Ironclad Guild symbol, red midriff-baring jacket, tan cargo pants, and red sneakers.

Boarding the airship after sharing an awkward greeting (moreso on Cardin's part than Brigitte), the two didn't exchange much dialogue, instead choosing to watch the scenery go by. On Cardin's end, he was tongue-tied but didn't want to "Phone-a-Friend" so soon while Brigitte seemed content to let Cardin have the first word since they barely knew one another.

Eventually, Cardin broke the silence.

"Sooo… How long you been with the Ironclad Guild?"

"Since I was a little girl," the brunette answered. "My godfather was a Crusader, and my dad made most of their weapons."

"Really? That's so cool," Cardin awed. "You ever work on any of that stuff yourself?"

"Not really. The Crusaders disbanded after Mt. Glenn became a tomb," she said crossing her arms, looking tiredly out the window.

"Oh… Sorry for bringing it up…"

"It's fine," she waved off. "Rein still _has _his armor and I've tinkered with it once or twice, but it just isn't the same. Not the way my _dad _tells it."

Meanwhile in the back of the shuttle…

_"He's blowing it…" _Sky muttered, casually garbed in his signature colors.

_"At least he actually _asked _a girl out. I don't see _you _swimming in_-_"_

_"Pipe down. They'll hear us," _Vincent chided before Dove could finish his sentence. _"And I'm still not sure you guys should be going."_

_"Hey, you need me there in case you can't get your mic to work," _Russel argued.

_"Besides, did you really think we'd miss out on this?" _Sky asked with a smirk.

_"Still…" _Dove said looking at Vincent's attire; the same as before, but over which he wore a beige hat and trench coat. _"Couldn't you have worn something a little more… subtle?"_

_"What're you talking about? Hats and trench coats are the very _definition _of subtle," _Vincent pouted, sounding offended.

_"Yeah, well, just don't get too close," _Sky stated. _"Between that hair and those eyes, you stick out like a sore thumb," _he said indicating between the two with his finger. _"Soooo… What's with the eye? You get a transplant or what?"_

_***NEW WORLD***_

That Cardin hadn't taken any detours from the skyport meant Brigitte had no problem with Italian. The red-head's team trailing behind at a respectable distance, watched as Brigitte was led into a long-lived family-owned restaurant called **Luigi's**, Cardin taking the time to hold the door open for her.

_"Good, very good," _Vincent said as he watched it through a pocket telescope. "Alright, you three stay out here and keep watch, I'm going to get a seat inside."

"I thought the point of the mic and receiver was so you _didn't _have to go in there," Russel hummed.

"And what if I can't pick Cardin's words out over the background noise?"

" . . . Okay, fair," Russel conceded. "Still, don't you think you'll be noticed?"

In response to this, Vincent donned a pair of black sunglasses, obscuring his heterochromatic eyes from view.

And then _pointing _to aforementioned shades as though they solved _everything_.

"I'm not sure that's going to help," Dove hummed.

"Hey, come on guys, what's the worst that could go wrong?"

"Famous last words…" Sky hummed, wondering how Cardin's date would go.

He wasn't particularly _invested _in the guy's love life, but whether things went well or poorly, he'd still have to _live _with the guy afterwards, and while Cardin didn't seem the _type_, he didn't want to put up with any moping or brooding in case things went pear-shaped.

Still, who was _he _to enjoy dinner and a show as he scoped out a sit-down restaurant across the street.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So, how long've you wanted to be a Huntsman?" Brigitte asked after they were seated, the two sitting across from one another in a small booth by the windows.

"Oh, since I was a kid," Cardin answered scratching his cheek. "I grew up on my father's old war stories from when he was a young man."

"Your father wouldn't happen to be Henry _Beaufort _Winchester, would he?" Brigitte hummed.

"Oh-ah, yes. How'd you know…?" he asked nervously.

"Not that many Winchesters. Fewer still that can afford Ironclad Guild wares. How _is _the armor treating you by the way?"

"G-Great! I feel like a walking _tank _with it on!" Cardin said flexing his arms awkwardly.

"That's good to know," Brigitte said with a smile, turning her attention to her menu.

What followed was an awkward silence after all conversation died down. Cardin attempted to say more, but got tongue-tied as the setting sun shone on the girl's hair. Snapping his recipe up and bringing up his left sleeve, he clicked the button two-fold before bringing it to his lips.

_"Vincent…?" _he muttered into his sleeve mic as he hid behind his menu.

"Yyyello?"

_"Things are getting awkward and I don't know what to say next. Help me!"_

"You could tell her she _looks _nice."

_"I did already."_

"You could try asking if she did something with her _hair_."

_"_That_ old cliché?"_

"Hey, I work with what I got, and you can't hide behind that menu forever."

_"Yeah, I guess you're righ-wait… How do you know what I'm doing?"_

"I'm here in the restaurant."

Setting down his menu-

"Don't _look_, dummy!"

Snapping up his menu, Cardin's eyes darted from side to side until he spotted the RA clad in, of all things, a fedora, trench coat, and sunglasses, hiding behind a menu of his own on the far side of the restaurant. Near-enough he could see what was going on, far-enough he wouldn't garner any immediate notice from his date.

Though that wasn't to say he wasn't garnering any odd looks from those in _his _immediate viscinity…

_"What're you _doing _here!?"_

"Keeping an _eye _on you, ya doofus. Now, papers down! Your waiter's back!"

Snapping down his menu as their server returned, a tray holding a sweet tea for Brigitte and an ice water with lemon for Cardin, the teen cleared his throat before ordering.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Elsewhile across the street, Cardin's teammates watched the goings-on of his date through a pocket telescope. That an old sitcom was playing in the corner made it quite _easy _for the server to accept what was going on, and turn the other way as the red-head and brunette were watched.

"Holy crap. I can't believe it's actually _working_," Sky gawped.

"Yeah. I guess life _does _imitate fiction," Dove hummed.

"Glad to see the wrist-mic is working," Russel hummed. "Here's hoping that Brigitte doesn't catch on," he hummed as Cardin made small-talk.

"Ooh! She's going for his hand!" Dove yelped as Brigitte reached across the table, taking hold of Cardin's hand.

"Huh. Didn't think things would go so well…" Sky hummed.

" . . . Wait…" he paused, peering through the telescope with greater concentration.

"What?"

"Oh crap!" he shouted as Brigitte suddenly shouted into the wrist-mike, a trench coat-clad figure in the back of the restaurant visibly yowling and clutching his ears as the girl shouted into Cardin's sleeve. "She knows! Abort! Abort! Abort!" he cried into Russel's own transmitter.

_***One Minute Ago***_

"So, what made you decide to ask me out?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean… I'm definitely not the _softest _sort of girl around," she said leaning back against her seat, shoulders resting and exposing her muscled arms, her jacket folded across her lap. "Most guys don't usually _go _for girls like me."

"Yeah, well, I'm not '_most guys_'," Cardin returned. "I don't go for those skinny, emaciated stick figures in the fashion mags. I like _real _girls; not photoshopped cutouts."

"Well, at least you're honest," Brigitte said with a smile, reaching across the table and taking Cardin's hand. "ISN'T THAT RIGHT, MISTER ROOM ASSISTANT!" she suddenly shouted into the wrist-mic.

"Son of a cussing _cuss_word!" Vincent yelped as he fell from his seat, hands going to his ears.

"So… Cardin…" Brigitte hummed as she dropped his hand and leaned back into her seat. "Is there something you want to tell me?" she asked as Vincent comically rolled across the floor cupping his ears, her brow raised.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"So… Why don't we start from the beginning," Brigitte hummed, now sitting across from her date and their "chaperone".

"Well, it all started with this _dream _I had about Cardin last night-" Vincent began.

"I like where _this _is going~"

"It's not what it sounds like!" Cardin yelped.

"-where I drop-kicked him in the face."

"Oh!" Brigitte blushed, embarrassed her mind had _immediately _gone down the gutter.

"Don't worry. My mind went there too…" Cardin admitted. "And did you _really _have to start the story _that _way?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes because that's how the story _starts_," Vincent returned with a flat stare.

_***One Explanation Later***_

"And well, the long and short of it is, I feel like I owed Cardin even though it didn't _really _happen that way, so when he told me he was totally _smitten _with you, I just _had _to help him."

"And he needed help because…?"

"Cardin gets tongue-tied around pretty girls."

"You really think I'm pretty?" Brigitte asked, blinking in surprise.

"Of course. You're totally _gorgeous_," Vincent smiled.

_"Hey, stop trying to butter up my date!" _Cardin hissed.

_"What? I'm just stating facts. You have _excellent _taste in girls," _Vincent returned innocently.

"You know I can hear everything you're saying, _right_?" Brigitte asked. "And thanks. A compliment on my looks instead of a criticism is _nice _once in a while," she said as her smile softened.

" . . . So yeah, we _both _think you're pretty, and _I _thought I liked you enough to suck up my pride and ask for help… in a really roundabout way," Cardin summarized, hoping to regain control of the conversation. "_Not _how I thought this date would go," he said looking down at the hidden microphone and transmitter, which he was no longer wearing.

"Well I think it's sweet," Brigitte smiled. "A little sitcom-y; but sweet."

"I'm glad everything worked out so well," Vincent said with a face-splitting grin.

"Still, I have to know…" she hummed. "What would you've been like _without _the wingman whispering into your ear?"

"Oh, you know… a gibbering mess," Cardin admitted.

"Well… This is certainly a _memorable _date, but _next _time, leave the tagalong at home."

"There'll be a next time?!"

"Yeah. I think you earned it~" she returned with a wink.

"Way to go, man!" Vincent said clapping Cardin on the shoulder. "Mission accomplished!"

_'The actual mission was to have her _not _find out you were here…' _Cardin mulled to herself, the girl across from him giggling causing his mental expression to soften. _'Still… I think things turned out pretty well.'_

_***NEW WORLD***_

"All in all, I had fun tonight," Brigitte said with a smile as she stepped out of **Luigi's**, a handsome boy on each arm, one blushing slightly, the other blissfully oblivious.

_"Not much of a date with a _third wheel _though…" _Cardin muttered, given Vincent had eaten _with _them even after things had been cleared up.

"Well I had a great time. I should do matchmaking more _often_!"

"Please don't…"

"Yeah. You've got enough on your plate already," Brigitte hummed.

"What do you mean?"

" . . . Oh you sweet summer child," Brigitte said patting him atop the head. _"And, those poor girls."_

Before the conversation could go further on its tangent, an official state car pulled up beside them, a shiny jet black with silver accents; one of the newer aircar models since it didn't touch the ground.

"Did you call for a ride?" Brigitte asked with a raised brow at Cardin.

"No, this is a surprise for me too," Cardin said as the shotgun window rolled down. "Oh, hello, Jeeves."

"You know him?"

"He's my dad's driver," he answered. "What's up? Is my dad eating out?" he asked looking into the back.

"I'm sorry, but that isn't the case," the aged driver answered. "I'm actually here for _him_. Your father would like to have a word with him."

"The _RA_?" Cardin asked jabbing a finger Vincent's way.

"Yes," Jeeves answered. "If you could get in the car, the councilman is waiting," he said as a passenger door opened.

"I'm sorry, but grandpa told me never to accept rides from strangers," Vincent returned.

"Oh, you are just a_dorable_," Brigitte chuckled. "Don't worry. _We'll _make sure the strange man doesn't do anything to you."

"We will-I mean, we _will_!" Cardin amended when Brigitte rounded on him.

"Very well," Jeeves nodded, motioning for the three teens to step into the car.

"Well, as long as _you _two are with me," Vincent hummed. "Ladies first," he said with a sweep of his arm.

"Aren't you sweet," Brigitte chuckled, she and Cardin hopping in before Vincent closed the door behind them, the ride smooth as glass as they pulled away.

_***NEW WORLD***_

Vale's capital building was an impressive multi-tiered structure, doubling as a courthouse and hewn from white stone, the pillars adding a certain degree of opulence. Vale's flag, which featured crossed axes above a laurel wreath, flew proudly from the dome cresting it.

Night had just fallen, the streetlamps beginning to come on as they made their approach. Waiting for them out front was a woman in secretarial garb, who greeted Vincent courteously as he stepped out of the state car.

"Do not worry about your ride back to Beacon. We will remain here, until your meeting with the councilman is concluded," Jeeves answered as the aircar was put in park, the whitette nodding his head in return before ascending the steps and entering the courthouse.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Mr. Winchester," the secretary stated a few minutes later outside the councilman's chambers, which were sealed by large oaken doors. "The man you wanted to speak with has arrived."

_"Enter_,_" _the muffled voice said through the door, which opened allowing entry. Like many Councilman chambers, the room beyond was lined with bookshelves holding countless tomes, records, files, and documents. The addition of a computer bay had been made with the advent of computers, their pale-blue light spreading out through the darkened room as Vincent made his way toward the room's only occupant.

Henry Beaufort Winchester, one of the leading Councilman of Vale and one of the most-influential people in the Kingdom, was a broad-shouldered impressive-looking middle-aged man. Though he was perfectly fit for a man his age, the weight of many years' service, both within and without the capital city of Vale, had clearly taken its toll on him. His well-groomed hair and beard which were the same copper color as his son's was marked with streaks of gray, a number of wrinkles around his eyes and forehead, and he'd shrunken a bit from when he was in his prime. The man clearly made the clothes in this case, because on anyone else the hand-tailored maroon-colored suit he was clad in would've been ill-fit for anyone else to wear.

"Mr. Valentine. Please have a seat," Henry stated, indicating a sole chair across from him, which Vincent politely took. "I've done my research on you. Your dossier is… quite bare," he said spinning around the holo-screen he was using, an electronic document bearing Vincent's picture coming into view, the information on him summarized to a single page.

"I've been told that before, yes," Vincent nodded. "Might I ask why I was brought here?"

" . . . Ordinarily I wouldn't have taken much interest in someone of your station, even _if _you were one of Ozpin's pet projects. However, when you began associating with my son, well… Let's just say I took notice."

"And…?"

" . . . "

Gathering his thoughts, the man interlaced his fingers before speaking again.

"Cardin's mother died when he was very young," he began. "Since then, I provided him with everything he could ever want. The newest toys, good food, the best teachers and trainers; all the things I wanted growing up but could never get until I was a grown man," he said as his eyes drifted to the opulence around him, from the books to the furniture to the art on the walls. "However… I fear I neglected to tend to the needs of his heart; Alice was always better with that sort of thing…" he trailed off morosely. "Because of that… I feel he may've picked up on some… _unsavory _habits."

"Liiike picking on _Faunus _because 'racism'?" Vincent groused.

"In as many words."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I hear Cardin's stopped. He isn't exactly going to any Faunus Rights rallies, but I think it's a step in the right direction," he elaborated. "Still, I can't understand why Humans and Faunus fight at _all_. Can't they see that the Grimm are the much _bigger _problem?"

"Sequestered inside our walls, protected by auto turrets and border patrols, that sort of thing can be easily forgotten," Henry replied. "Human and Faunus history has been long and bloodied, and I'm ashamed to say that in my youth… I _contributed _to some of that history…"

For him, the real eye-opener had been when the battalion he was a part of was hunting down a small company of Faunus "rebels" through the mountains. Partway through a mountain pass, a small village visible in the distance, a bestial Grimm dropped down between them and started slaughtering Humans by the hundreds.

It was only after a lucky gunshot shattered the Grimm's mask that he learned, the mask wasn't bone at all, neither was the Grimm a Grimm. Instead it had been a Honey Badger Faunus, _posing _as a Grimm to shatter morale amidst the carnage.

Of course, even though the Faunus' identity had been exposed, the damage was done. More than six hundred men had been killed, and the only reason he'd survived was because he had the good sense to turn tail and run.

But not before catching sight of women and children treating the Faunus berserker like a hero, tears of joy spilling down their faces even as the flies began to gather.

How could he ever think that those capable of such emotions were ever "less than Human"?

"Looking back on it, I'm not proud of what I did…" he said shaking off the past that haunted him. "Since then, I've done my best to bridge the gap between our races. However… a lot of old money survived the looting that ensued even after the monarchies fell, and it's been slow-going. I'm just glad there isn't any more open warfare. I pray that Cardin _never _sees a war like that," he said as his grip tightened.

"And yet, the animosity between Humans and Faunus still remains…" Vincent hummed, crossing his ankles as he looked up at the man. "So what does all this have to do with _me_?"

"I… I want you to keep an eye on him. My work on the Council occupies most of my time so-"

"At the very least, send him a _text _message," Vincent interrupted. "Hell, if your schedules so-packed, just send him one while you're on the _crapper_. They don't make you do council work in _there_, do they?" he asked jabbing a thumb at the ensuite.

"No. I suppose not…" he admitted.

"Good, then we understand one another," Vincent said rising from his seat. "I'll do my job as an RA, and whatever else that needs doing, but being a parent is still _your _job."

"I suppose so. Thank you for agreeing to see me on such short notice," Henry replied politely. "It was nice meeting you. It was… interesting."

And like that, the two parted.

"Ah, hold on a moment," he amended.

"Hm?" Vincent hummed, his hand on the door knob.

"Your file says you have amnesia. Is that correct?"

"I would assume so. Not like _I _wrote it," he shrugged.

"Any chance you could tell me _how _you became amnesiac?"

"Well if I knew _that_, I wouldn't be _amnesiac_, now would I?" he asked with his hands on his hips, pouting slightly.

The answer to his inquiry was both foolish, yet at the same time completely brilliant, and he couldn't find it in himself to repute it.

" . . . You have a nice evening," Henry said after an awkward moment of mulling the teen's words over.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"What did my father want?" Cardin asked as Vincent stepped back into the state car a short while later.

"He just wanted me to keep an eye on you," Vincent answered.

"I-I'm not a little _kid _anymore."

"Yeah, well, he's your dad. He can't help but worry."

"Yeah, I guess so…" Cardin grumbled, resting his elbow on the armrest, his chin on his hand.

"There, there," Brigitte said patting his other arm.

"Sooo… Is it safe to drive home in this thing?" Vincent asked.

"If the White Fang couldn't catch me, I don't think you have to worry about some soulless animals," Jeeves replied, almost sounding insulted.

"Yes, well…" Vincent said drawing a familiar riding crop out of his boot and flexing it. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"Um… Where did you think this date was going?" Brigitte asked apprehensively. "And for the record, I'm not into that kind of play."

"Play?" Vincent asked with a confused tilt of his head. "Like tag? Or hide-and-seek?"

_"Don't go down the rabbit hole," _Cardin whispered into her ear. _"Glynda will totally kick your ass if you corrupt him."_

_"What're you two whispering about?" _Vincent asked.

"Nothing!" Brigitte yelped.

Between _her _rocket flail and Glynda's Disciplinarian…

She didn't think her chances were all that great.

That and she wasn't into kinky riding crop play, as she's clearly elaborated before, but that was beside the point.

_***NEW WORLD***_

"Sooooo… How'd your date go?" Dove asked.

"Like you don't know. You think I couldn't recognize you idiots ogling me from across the street?" Cardin asked brusquely.

"Well what crawled up _your _ass and died?"

"Other than my dad making time for a complete and total _stranger _instead of his own _son_…!?" Cardin bit out before sucking air through his teeth. " . . . Nothing."

"Wait, you have father issues?" Russel asked with a raised brow.

"You too?" Dove inquired.

"Is there anyone here who _doesn't _have father issues?" Sky asked incredulously, Cardin's Scroll ringing as Team CRDL began to inquire as to one another's relationships with their respective fathers.

"Dad?" he asked seeing the Caller ID.

"Cardin, are you alone?" the man asked in a very business-like tone.

"Give me a minute," Cardin returned. Stepping out of his room and fast-walking to the roof, after looking over the edge to ensure no windows were open, he put the Scroll back to his ear. "I'm alone, soooo…" he hummed, trying to remember the last time he'd actually _talked _to his father. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I… wanted to inquire as to how things went on your date this evening."

"Oh…?" Cardin blinked. "Oh, um, it went great. Really, really great."

"That's good to hear… son," Henry said adding the last word a bit awkwardly. "Listen, about that restaurant Jeeves picked you up from."

"Yeah?"

"It… It was the same place I first took your mother on _our _first date."

"Whoa, really?" Cardin asked, blinking widely. "Man, what a freaky coincidence."

"Yes… Coincidence. That, or…"

"Or? Or what? You think he _planned _it?"

"I don't know. You'd know him better than I would."

"Yes well, that isn't all that much to be honest," Cardin admitted. "I'm sure it's just coincidence. The guy's pretty transparent as far as _I _can tell."

"Transparent, or _cunning_?"

"What? You think he's working for a political rival?" he asked incredulously.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not," Henry returned thoughtfully. "For all we know it was pure coincidence and nothing else. However… it might also be someone using you to send a message."

"Should I be worried?"

Neither political rivals nor the White Fang had ever come at _him _to get back at his father, but that didn't mean it couldn't happen, and stories like that were always "it's not my problem as long as it's happening to someone else" until it happens to _you_.

"I would prefer you be _cautious _instead of outright _worried_," the councilman returned, assuaging his son's worries. "That boy… He has an incredibly _disarming _presence, almost made me lower my defenses around him; which means that if he's simply playing 'The Fool', we may not realize until it's too late. While it'd be _great _if he were simply that naïve, the most-dangerous thing about 'The Fool' is that they have the potential to surpass 'God'. That's why 'The Fool' has always been depicted as a tremendously-dangerous force in storytelling for centuries. Entire _kingdoms _have been felled by the machinations of a 'Fool' disguised as inept bumbling."

"Hmmm… Well, _Ozpin _seems to have his back," Cardin said with a shrug.

"Yes, and look at how that turned out for the Arc's only son; completely debased and humiliated before all his peers. It'll be a miracle if _some _semblance of his reputation can be salvaged after what occurred."

Minor in the grand scheme of things that altercation may've been, word of what occurred had still trickled down from Beacon to Vale, and even into his own chambers since Jaune was a schoolmate of his only son.

"Oof. Yeah, the kids at Beacon can barely _stand _him, and there being an open _fruit _bounty on his head probably didn't help things either."

"_Fruit_… bounty…?" Henry asked confusedly, wondering if Cardin had meant to string those words together the way he had.

"Oh, yeah, this whole thing where Jack put out a reward for anyone who can head-shot that loser with over-ripe fruit. Ten times that if you can hit him clean-on in the _face_."

"This _Jack _character sounds incredibly _spiteful_."

Of course, he already _knew _about Cardin's schoolmates to a degree, but implying he did would be admitting to using Council resources for wholly personal matters.

The sort of thing a political rival could use to very well usurp his seat on the council.

"Oh, yeah, like you wouldn't _believe_," Cardin winced. "Still, as long as you aren't his enemy, he's actually pretty cool. Helped me with my driving, actually. Might be ready to test for my _license _soon."

"That's great, son. I'm really proud of you," he said, nodding on his end of the line. "Before I let you go… How _are _you, son?" he asked, his tone softening.

"Well, I tell you what, it's been a _hell _of a ride," Cardin began.

And he and his father talked into the night.

_***NEW WORLD***_

**Probably not what you wanted to see from ****Giant-Slayer****, but given it's **_**easy **_**to make Cardin the punching bag in ****RWBY**** stories and crossovers, I figured it'd be both fun and **_**interesting **_**to experiment with giving **_**Cardin **_**some character development. Last we see of him in Canon is at the tail-end of Volume 3 in "Chapter 11: Heroes and Monsters", where he smacks around a really (and/or "relatively") tiny Ursa, gets in over his head with some AK-200s, and has to get saved by Ironwood as he works that half-man/half-robot **_**bod **_**of his.**

**Noooot exactly a good look to end on.**

**Given the ornateness of Cardin's armor compared to his peers and his general demeanor, in my headcanon I assumed he was the son of a Councilman, hence that's what I went for since nothing tangible really exists in regards to _Cardin's _family.**

**Also, while Brigitte is 23 in the ****Overwatch**** Cannon, I decided to make her a little younger for the ****Giant-Slayer**** Fanon; presently she's 19, a couple years older than Cardin, but not older-enough that her dating him would be **_**weird**_**. Characteristically, removing or rather **_**ignoring**_** the "bias" that a lot of people have towards him in regards to his bullying and treating it as an "anchor" that prevents him from ever rising **_**above **_**himself (like Jaune eventually did)… Cardin seems like the sort who might have different "body politics" than guys like Jaune or Neptune who only look at what's on the outside; i.e. he might be attracted to "Bricc" girls like Brigitte.**

**Also, the age revising isn't all that weird because Blizzard revised her age from 28 to 23 in the first place.**

**She might not be "**_**Hardcore **_**Bricc" like **_**some **_**"Bricc Girls" you see in fantasy anime, but given she has to be strong-enough to maintain her footing with a weapon capable of smacking around legit **_**mecha**_**… Yeah, I'd say Brigitte is pretty damn strong, even by the standards of ****RWBY ****Canon where there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of Power Scaling that stays **_**consistent **_**with itself; more the "Rule of Cool", which is why I'm raising the "Stat Cap" in the "Slayerverse" compared to RWBY Canon. So there's an actual _tangible _power gap between characters; contextually, Qrow and Winter were moving at Shunshin/Soru/Shunpo-like speeds, so I assume that's a baseline for a higher-end graduated Huntsman.**

**Anyway, I hope you at-the-least found this interesting, and that I can get some constructive criticism after stepping away from the main cast for a bit.**

**Don't worry. Things will start picking up again, now that I've laid down some more groundwork. The great thing about fanfiction is I don't have to gloss over timeskips, I can actually fill them in.**

**But that's beside the point.**

**Anyway, see you all next time!**


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